Spokane, Wash. – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, today announced a $480,000 Justice Department grant to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Rapid DNA Program. The grant will help Spokane County law enforcement identify, arrest, and prosecute both violent crime and prolific property crime, with the goal of improving the sheriff’s office’s technical expertise, increase the number of crimes solved in Spokane County and reduce the number of crimes. against people and property.
The grant, which is administered by the Office of Justice Programs of the U.S. Department of Justice, was awarded on July 26, 2022. The funding will be used by the Forensic Unit of the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, which is an accredited laboratory covering various fields. The Rapid DNA program is expected to accelerate the speed at which investigative leads can be developed, perpetrators identified and innocent parties cleared. Thus, offenders will be apprehended more quickly.
Announcing the nearly $500,000 award, U.S. Attorney Waldref said, “This grant is an example of the Department of Justice’s commitment to dedicating resources to our local law enforcement partners to ensure that eastern Washington remains safe and strong. US Attorney Waldref continued, “DNA testing is an essential tool in solving and prosecuting crimes. In fact, DNA analysis has proven to be the difference in identifying and, in some cases, exculpating the accused. By dedicating these additional resources to Spokane County, we are able to help law enforcement hold perpetrators accountable and deter others from committing criminal acts in Eastern Washington.
More information about grants and funding through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs is available at https://www.ojp.gov/.
