UPDATE: EPPD Crime Lab On Probation; 122 Drug Cases Under Review
The American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board has placed the El Paso Police Department drug crime lab on probation until Sept. 2.
The decision was made after an ASCLD/LAB accreditation board report from June 27, according to the department.
While on probation, the El Paso laboratory remains accredited contingent upon satisfying the conditions of the probation within the specified time period.
At a news conference Wednesday morning, El Paso police said that the accreditation board was concerned over the handling of controlled substances analysis.
Police officials said all forensic drug testing with the exception of marijuana has been suspended, effective immediately.
The Police Department has until Monday, July 11, to provide a plan of action to address the concerns.
Police officials said that until the probation status is lifted, all controlled substance testing required to prosecute police department cases will be conducted by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Accreditation by ASCLD/LAB is recognized by the criminal justice system as a means of determining that a laboratory has met a set of internationally recognized standards of operation for forensic laboratories, according to the organization’s website.
At Wednesday’s news conference, El Paso District Attorney Jaime Esparza said an independent accredited agency will review 122 cases handled by the El Paso lab over the last six months.
The results of that report, he said, are expected before or on Sept. 2.
“At this point, there has not been any misidentification of controlled substances,” Esparza said.
Esparza said his office, along with that of County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal’s, will notify the drug courts and defense attorneys about the probation.
Bernal said her office, which handles juvenile drug offenses, sends roughly 50 cases to the police lab each year. However, she said most of those involve marijuana.
“We’re not terribly concerned about the cases at this point,” Bernal said.
Stay with ABC-7 throughout the day as this story develops.
To read the ASCLD/LAB report, click here.
