Colorado Department of Public Safety

2007 DNA WORKING GROUP

In September 2007, Governor Bill Ritter convened the DNA Work Group comprised of a diverse group of professionals with issue-specific expertise (including forensic analysts and laboratory managers, law enforcement officers, criminal defense attorneys, prosecuting attorneys, judges, legislators and victim advocates). The mission of the Working Group was to study DNA collection, preservation and analysis practices in Colorado, as well as to examine best practices nationally for possible adoption in Colorado. In keeping with the Governor's assignment, the Working Group focused a significant amount of its discussion on retention of items of evidence that could contain sources of DNA.

 

HB08-1397 WORKING GROUP

The focus of this new working group is to determine what changes in the area of DNA evidence collection and storage have been brought about by the passage of HB 08-1397, address issues relating to evidence retention and make recommendations to the General Assembly. The recommendations shall include, but need not be limited to, standardized time lines for retention of reasonable and relevant DNA evidence, provision of storage facilities and best practices for evidence collection and storage.