Jeff Thompson Assistant Laboratory Director SerologyDNA Unit Scientific Investigation Division Los Angeles Police Department ASCLD 42 nd Annual Symposium April 29 2015 20082009 Backlog of unrequested kits ID: 206265
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Slide1
Logistical Considerations to “Test Every Rape Kit”
Jeff Thompson
Assistant Laboratory Director
Serology/DNA Unit
Scientific Investigation Division
Los Angeles Police Department
ASCLD 42
nd
Annual Symposium
April 29, 2015Slide2
2008-2009
Backlog of (unrequested) kits:
6,132Average # of kits received per month: ~105Number of bench DNA analysts: ~10Few kits requested & testedExtensive use of outsourcingTurnaround time: >>120 daysChanges & ExpectationsNew hires since 2008: 40+GoalsTurnaround time <90 daysTest ALL kits without outsourcing
LAPD, we have a problem…Slide3
DNA testing determined by
Sperm rating
Microscopy is time-consuming (especially if the kit is negative & includes slides generated by SART nurse)Presence of nucleated epithelial cells on dried secretions E. Cells probative or not? Perioral swab? Thigh swab?Minor’s left hand? Concerns with existing screening protocol - Microscopy & ProbativeSlide4
Medical ReportInformation not always consistent with request submitted by Detectives
Which one do you trust?
Do you screen only the probative items based on the allegations?What if victim reports Loss of Consciousness/Loss of Memory (LOC/LOM)?What do you do if the alleged act is digital penetration? Groping?More concernsSlide5
Inspiration
from Georgia Bureau of Investigation
Switched from microscopy to Quantifiler Duo for screening rape kitsAchieved significant gains in screening productivitySolutionSlide6
GBI Procedural Modification
GBI
GBISlide7
LAPD MSD Procedural Modification
LAPD MSDSlide8
Male Screen Detail Program (MSD) Goals
Increase efficiency of screening
Quantifiler DuoTouch SAEK one time onlyLower turn around times Write one reportExpand duties of new hires DNA Technicians (Screeners trained to extract/quant)Extracts passed on to DNA analystsCan employ personnel without DNA courseworkRevamped Screening of Sexual Assault Evidence Kit (SAEK)Slide9
DNA Analyst
“Triage” –
Determining samples to amplifyScientific DataSperm ResultsMale quantitation (Quantifiler Duo)Male: Female Ratio (Quantifiler Duo)Case ScenarioSingle Suspect vs. Multiple SuspectConsenting PartnerMinor VictimLoss of Consciousness / Loss of MemoryMale Victim or Female SuspectSlide10
Combining Sperm and Quant Duo Results For Differential Samples
Category 2
Sperm Rating >1Quant Duo =1-15 pg/µL
* 3% of samples
Category 1
Sperm Rating >1
Quant
Duo >
15
pg
/µL
* 15% of samples
Category
3
Sperm Rating >1
Quant Duo
=undetected
* 1% of samples
Category
4
Sperm
Rating= 0
Quant Duo
> 15
pg
/µL* 8% of samples
Category 5Sperm Rating = 0Quant Duo =1-15 pg/µL* 14% of samples
Category 6Sperm Rating = 0Quant Duo = undetected* 59% of samplesSlide11
Official start date: December 3, 20121 Supervising Criminalist for case management and admin reviews
9 DNA technicians
11 DNA analystsRotational duties – 2 DNA techs assigned to non-diff extractions and quants per weekDNA analysts float into tech positions, as neededMale Screen Detail (MSD)Slide12
Turnaround time defined as:
DATE REQUEST RECEIVED to DATE REPORT ADMIN REVIEWED
Average 63 daysRange 2-90 daysCurrent Stats Slide13
SAEK Turn Around Time
MSDSlide14
LAPD MSD process vs. LAPD “Old Way”
Processing all kits with fewer personnel than “old way” would require
Increased reagent costs offset by salary savings from increased productivityFaster turn-around Superior analytical resultsComparisonsSlide15
How does MSD compare to other methods?
Selective sampling
(Fast Track Forensics – FTF) used in Los Angeles for several yearsSART Nurse collects additional swabs & submits directly to state lab for DNA extraction and typing (no screening)Based on victim statements and physical findingsFTF continued after implementation of LAPD MSDCases have been processed by both methodsComparisonsSlide16
Randomly selected 50 cases processed both by selective sampling (FTF) & MSD
Compared number of:
swabs examined profiles developedCODIS uploadsCases included42% of victims reported loss of consciousness or loss of memoryComparisonsSlide17
Average # of swabs screened per SAEK
MSD = 7.6
FTF = 0 (unscreened, all are DNA typed)Average # of swabs DNA typed per SAEKMSD = 2.6FTF = 2.6ComparisonsSlide18
MSD vs. FTF – CODIS UploadsSlide19
Will a detective recognize not all SAEK profiles were detected and request additional work?
LAPD had assumed detectives would request all SAEKs be tested that should be tested.
Of the 6,132 unexamined SAEKs identified in the freezer audit:Over 400 were stranger rapesFurther ConsiderationsSlide20
Link casesRapes in two different cities (without an arrest) won’t be linked otherwise
DDA’s will not file many cases with vulnerable victims or consent issues
Some criminals know this and deliberately target vulnerable victims or develop “plausible” consent Without filing, no arrest and no entry into CODISMultiple CODIS hits to the same offender can encourage a DDA to file casesMultiple victims (even with credibility issues) can corroborate each otherWhy Do We Test Every SAEK?Slide21
Gary Ridgway
“Green River Killer”
Convicted of killing 49 (likely over 70)Targeted prostitutes & runawaysRidgway “took advantage of (prostitute) services regularly”Further ConsiderationsSlide22
William Suff
“Lake Elsinore Killer”/“Riverside Prostitute Killer”
Convicted of killing 12 (likely 22)Targeted prostitutesSuff escalated throughout his spreeFurther ConsiderationsSlide23
Did they start
with murder, or sexual assault?
Was their first violent crime a homicide, or a sexual assault?If the latter, did missed opportunities to link cases allow them to victimize others & further hone their “skills” to avoid detection & prosecution? Could their killing sprees have been cut short or eliminated altogether if CODIS had linked them to the reported sexual assaults of multiple vulnerable victims? Final ConsiderationsSlide24
Lab Director Doreen Hudson
Had us examine
other methods to back up our consensus that we were doing things betterSupervising Criminalist Mike Mastrocovo Took GBI’s method and expanded it dramaticallySerology/DNA UnitDid a ton of case work, validations & innovations, under intense media scrutiny & Department pressure, to get us to where we are todayAcknowledgementsSlide25
Jeff Thompson
323-415-8115
N2769@lapd.lacity.orgContact Information