BACKGROUND
The Northeastern Illinois Regional Crime Lab (NIRCL) was established in 1968 and is located in Vernon Hills, Illinois. There are 45 member agencies that comprise laboratory membership. The Police Department is proposing the Village enter into an Agreement for membership to spend a year evaluating the benefits of membership. Prior to the end of the year, the Department will be able to determine whether it makes sense to continue the membership. While the Agreement does automatically renew, it can be terminated by the Village at any time after providing 90 day's notice.
The NIRCL boasts a much more desired “turnaround time” for submitted evidence compared to the Illinois State Police crime lab. For example, the average examination time for fingerprint evidence is approximately 49 days compared to several months or in cases, considerably longer. Another equally important and frequent submission is toxicology examinations. NIRCL completes examinations in less than 3-weeks, far less time than ISP, which, in some cases, jeopardizes the prosecution of DUI defendants.
Unlike ISP, NIRCL offers 24-hour assistance to member agencies who encounter complex processing issues. On-call laboratory staff is available for consultation or technical oversight at a crime scene. Additionally, NIRCL offers training at their facility for forensic technicians and provides expert speakers for Department sponsored instruction.
NIRCL serves as a repository for narcotics and weapons that are no longer required as evidence. Currently, the Department travels to a foundry near the Wisconsin border where confiscated weapons are melted down. Likewise, the cost of narcotics disposal will be omitted.
Laboratory transition will be seamless. NIRCL uses the same evidence tracking software program in place at AHPD. This will reduce any scribe error and support the chain-of-custody with a digital record.
NIRCL calculates membership fees based on the most recent US Census. The current assessment is $1.333 per resident plus a $3,000 building maintenance fee. Therefore, based on 75,801 AH residents, AHPD will be assessed $104,042 (1.333 x 75,801 + 3,000) annually.
This project is designed to improve laboratory responsiveness thereby enhancing criminal investigations and traffic related prosecutions. Asset forfeiture funding is allocated for the anticipated expense.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Village Board adopt the attached Resolution Approving an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Northeastern Illinois Regional Crime Lab, for a membership fee of $104,042 for 2017.