Colorado investigating former state employee over irregular DNA testing results | Colorado

(The Center Square) – A former forensic scientist with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation is below investigation after irregularities had been came upon in DNA testing.

Yvonne “Missy” Woods, who labored within the CBI’s forensic services and products phase for 29 years, is now not a CBI employee and is the topic of an inside affairs and felony investigation, in line with a media free up from the state company.

The company came upon inconsistencies whilst reviewing a sampling of circumstances as a part of an inside evaluate procedure. CBI is notifying all public protection companions because it evaluations circumstances probably impacted via the investigation.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is helping in CBI’s inside affairs investigation. CBI additionally is operating to spot an investigative company from out of doors Colorado to steer the felony investigation.  

The CBI said Woods’ paintings is present process a “meticulous review” as a part of the investigation. The group’s forensic services and products phase is also present process a radical evaluate of testing procedures and processes.

“These are extremely serious allegations, and I want to assure the public and our public safety partners that the CBI is committed to conducting a complete review of this matter to ensure the integrity of this critical function remains intact,” Stan Hilkey, govt director of the Colorado Department of Public Safety, mentioned in a observation.

CBI supplies forensic and investigative help to state and native regulation enforcement companies. In addition to keeping up and working forensic laboratories and DNA profiles, it maintains fingerprint information and oversees the statewide crime reporting program. The company additionally maintains the Instant Criminal Background Check Unit, the state’s program for background exams on firearms.

This yr’s budget for the CBI’s laboratory and investigative services and products is $34.1 million with $23.5 million for private services and products. The biometric identity and information unit’s price range is $11.6 million this yr.

CBI’s forensic services and products laboratory is accepted via the International Organization for Standardization, an unbiased and non-governmental world group dedicated to high quality and transparency requirements. The American National Standards Institute’s National Accreditation Board additionally was once contacted via CBI in regards to the investigation.

After first receiving accreditation in 2004, CBI moved to the International Organization for Standardization’s accreditation in 2015. CBI’s forensic services and products finished an on-site evaluate in April and won reaccreditation.