The forensic scientists of the Suffolk County Crime Laboratory Drug Chemistry section are responsible for the qualitative (identity) and quantitative (purity) analysis of case submissions from various law enforcement agencies testing for the presence or absence of controlled substances.  Analysis is performed utilizing color tests, microcrystalline, thin layer chromatography, and highly specialized instrumentation to support the District Attorney’s Office prosecution in criminal cases.

The Biological Sciences Section of the Crime Laboratory performs analysis of biological material deposited during the commission of crimes such as homicide, sexual assault, home invasion, assault, burglary, and hit and run fatalities in addition to assisting in the identification of human remains by the Medical Examiner.  The evidence is examined for the presence of body fluids such as blood, semen and saliva followed by DNA testing to determine the source of the sample.  Comparison of DNA from a suspect to DNA from the crime scene will either link them to the crime or prove their innocence.  If there is no suspect, the crime scene DNA profile is entered into the FBI’s combined DNA Index System (CODIS) database where it may be linked to other cases or to a convicted offender whose DNA is in the database. Since the Crime Lab joined CODIS in 2000, DNA evidence analyzed by the Biological Sciences Section has aided police agencies in over 1800 investigations.

Crash Reconstruction is a scientific approach learning how a motor vehicle crash occurred. Reconstructing crashes requires a methodology that begins with known facts such as vehicle final rest positions, scene evidence and vehicle damage.  By working with this data in reverse, beginning with the known evidence of final rest positions along with information relevant to the crash, we can resolve issues such as speeds, driving behavior and other causal factors.  A crash reconstruction is the culmination of the scientific analysis of the data gathered and formulated into a concise report.

Many passenger motor vehicles have incorporated an event data recorder with the airbag control module.  These devices may capture and record very useful information pertaining to a crash, such as speeds, braking, change in velocity (delta-v) and other vehicle parameters.  Crash data retrieval is the process of extracting the information in a readable format via hardware, cables and software. The data obtained can be a useful supplement to traditional crash reconstruction analysis.

The Firearms Section of the Suffolk County Crime Laboratory has the responsibility of examining all types of physical evidence related to the illegal use of guns and weapons.  This physical evidence consists of all types of guns and ammunition, as well as fired ammunition components recovered from shooting scenes.  The individuals that work in this section are known as Forensic Firearm & Toolmark Examiners.  The unique training and experience of  these individuals allow them to make determinations as to whether a recovered expended bullet or cartridge casing had been fired in a specific weapon.  The section utilizes equipment linked to the National Integrated Ballistic Identification Network (NIBIN) to determine if associations can be made between crime evidence recovered in Suffolk County to other neighboring jurisdictions.

The Questioned Documents Section of the Laboratory is staffed with a Forensic Document Examiner,  Board Certified by the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners.

Any problems concerning a document will be considered.  The term “document” is a general term for any substrate that is used to convey a message.  While the term “document” is generally considered a paper document, the “document” may be a box, wall, bathroom stall dividing partition or any other object.

Questioned Document problems commonly include the examination and comparisons of handwriting, typewriting, hand printing, printed materials, adhesives, inks, paper, rubber stamp impressions, alterations, eradications, obliterations, tampering, charred documents, photocopy processes, and counterfeit documents.  The examinations are conducted in the visible spectrum as well as the ultraviolet (254nm to 365nm) and the near infrared spectrum (700nm to 1100nm) when necessary.

The Questioned Document Section is equipped with state of the art instrumentation such as a Video Spectral Comparator and an Electrostatic Detection Device.

This unit is charged with the responsibility to document, collect, and preserve evidence from homicides, hit & run fatalities, and other major cases as determined by the County police agencies.

Control of the evidence in the custody of the laboratory is fundamental to the operation of the Crime Laboratory.  Evidence Control is responsible for the establishment of procedures for the submission of evidence, the movement of evidence within the laboratory, and the eventual release of the evidence from the laboratory. Other duties of the evidence control clerks include documenting chain of custody, ensuring that evidence is properly packaged, and retaining the paperwork necessary for analysis and record keeping.

The Quality Assurance Manager of the Suffolk County Crime Laboratory ensures confidence in the work done by the laboratory.  By implementing and maintaining the quality system of the laboratory, accurate, reliable and reproducible results are ensured.  The laboratory is committed to performing its testing activities in accordance with the standards mandated by regulatory bodies and accrediting organizations, namely The ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) and the New York State Commission of Forensic Science.  Responsibilities of the Quality Assurance Manager include maintaining and updating the quality manual, monitoring laboratory practices to verify continued compliance with laboratory policies and procedures, investigating technical nonconformities and implementing corrective action, maintaining a proficiency testing program, observing and evaluating written reviews of court testimony, conducting and coordinating internal quality audits, and overseeing the overall quality of the laboratory’s work.

The Trace Evidence Section is responsible for the analysis (investigative and comparative) of a wide variety of evidence types.  Analysts utilize state of the art microscopes and instrumentation to analyze trace materials, such as paint, glass, hairs, fibers and gunshot residue.  Additional evidence types include physical comparisons (jigsaw matches), analyzing fire debris for accelerants, and impression comparisons, including footwear and tire tracks.