TBI considers charging police for evidence tests
November 04, 2009 17:16 PM
Tough financial times could mean big changes to the way local police investigate crimes. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is considering charging departments for tests the agency now conducts for free.
The state's Department of Finance asked TBI to find a way to reduce its budget by $4 million.
One solution includes charging police for evidence testing. If enacted, the move would have a big impact on the Clinton Police Department, which relies heavily on TBI.
"We use them for everything, whether it's got anything to do with blood work, or drug work, or DNA work, fingerprint stuff. [The] Clinton Police Department uses them solely for all that," Lt. David Queener said.
"We're basically down to either positions--people--or trying to propose some kind of revenue generator," TBI spokesperson Kristin Helm said.
A portion of the revenue would be generated from charging police $20 for every piece of evidence processed and $100 for analysis of DNA evidence.
Queener estimates that would cost the department $3,000 for drug testing alone.
"$3,000 is a lot of money to the Clinton Police Department, especially when you don't have it," he said.
The other option would be finding another lab.
"They would have nowhere to turn except a private lab, and it's going to cost them a lot more than what we would cost them," Helm said.
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