Since 1996, the City has contracted with the County for forensic services. The Orange County Crime Lab provides these services and is the only local forensic lab that can provide all the forensic services required by the City of Garden Grove.

Historically, we have had five year agreements with the County of Orange. Fiscal Year 2015-16 was the final year of our current contract, and Fiscal Year 2016-17 will be the first year of the new five year agreement.

To summarize our Fiscal Year 2016-17 contract with the Crime Lab, the City is paying for the following level of service:

• One (1) Lead Forensic Specialist (2096 Hours)
• One (1) Forensic Scientist III (2096 Hours)
• One (1) Forensic Specialist (2096 Hours)
• Aggregate Overtime (140 Hours)

The County reimburses the City the cost of all unused overtime.  

The Crime Lab provides all supplies and film processing directly related to services performed by their personnel under the terms of this agreement.

The current contract agreement with the County of Orange for forensic services expires on June 30, 2016.  As recommended by the Police Department and pursuant to Garden Grove Municipal Code Section 2.50.060(d), the Finance Director has determined that the County of Orange is the only provider of forensic services available.

Fiscal Year 2015-16 was the first year the Police Department requested one of the three positions with the County that the City of Garden Grove was funding as a “Forensic Scientist III.” This position is an aggregate position working at “The Sheriff’s Forensic Science Center,” and does DNA casework work requested by the Garden Grove Police Department.

DNA is leading technology for gathering forensic evidence and solving crimes.  Having a Forensic Scientist assigned to Garden Grove for DNA casework has dramatically reduced the time to obtain Crime Lab results, which has made the Detective Unit more effective. The Police Department is very satisfied with the level of service from the Sheriff’s Crime Lab. 

Forensic services with the Orange County Sheriff's Department Crime Lab for Fiscal Year 2015-16 is in the amount of $466,952.

The full cost of providing the foregoing level of service for Fiscal Year 2016-17 is estimated to be $466,496.  This is a slight decrease of $456.00 from the current fiscal year cost of $466,952. The Fiscal Year 2016-17 is an on-going cost to the Police Department’s budget for forensic service provided by the County of Orange.

It is recommended that the City Council:

• Approve the agreement with the County of Orange to provide forensics services to the City, in the amount of $466,496, for Fiscal Year 2016-17; and
• Authorize the Mayor to execute the agreement on behalf of the City.

By:  Lieutenant Ted Peaslee, Support Services Bureau, Investigations