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ISP forensics services re-accredited after extensive review

The Idaho State Police’s three Forensic Services (ISPFS) laboratories recently were reaccredited for another five-year period by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB) under an international accreditation for forensic crime laboratories.

ISPFS has been accredited by ASCLD/LAB since 1987 and obtained the prestigious ISO 17025:2005 accreditation in 2007. ISPFS laboratories were among the first in the U.S. to obtain ISO accreditation and continue as leaders in forensic science excellence.

"I'm proud of the quality of work our labs are able to provide to every city and county in Idaho,” says Col. Ralph Powell, director of the Idaho State Police. The work provided by our forensic science professionals is critical in solving crimes and ensuring justice for victims and the accused,"

ISP Forensic Services accreditation is important for ensuring continual laboratory improvement, quality forensic science casework and reliable laboratory test results,” he explains.

“The continuous monitoring of the quality of operations in the laboratories through annual audits, reviews of our management system, customer service feedback and intensive quality control of forensic casework is vital to the criminal justice system in Idaho, and we are pleased to provide it."

The three ISP Forensic labs are located in Meridian, Coeur d'Alene and Pocatello.

They are grouped into disciplines.

The Meridian Lab specializes in controlled substances, DNA, biology, DNA database, blood alcohol, latent fingerprints and footwear and tire impressions. The Coeur d'Alene Lab specializes in controlled substances, firearms and tool marks, fire debris evidence, blood alcohol and toxicology. The Pocatello Lab specializes in controlled substances, blood alcohol and toxicology.

The accreditation process includes an assessment by the accrediting body each year of accreditation. Once every five years ASCLD/LAB requires a reaccreditation application, an administrative conformance evaluation, an extensive off and on-site laboratory assessment/audit and demonstration of strict adherence to all international standards for forensic laboratories.

The full accreditation assessment includes a review of laboratory compliance to more than 500 required criteria.

The thorough process for reaccreditation took ISPFS 16 months to complete. Trained ASCLD/LAB technical expert assessors from throughout the country evaluated all aspects of ISPFS laboratory management and operations. In addition to an exhaustive document review, ASCLD/LAB technical assessors spent a week in Idaho auditing the physical laboratory space.