That’s the question. That’s just so amazing because so many are asking the same thing. The instructors talk about it when we’re at these courses and that all of the people that are taking the time to be there ask it is because so many of them, it’s just money and it’s not a lot of money. To ensure that these tests are more accurate. What does it take to have a set of procedures where, for example, when they draw the blood, that they ensure that it’s kept at the proper temperature before it gets to the lab. What does it take to make sure that tube, is not put in an UPS truck with no air conditioning that takes two days to get to a crime lab? It’s not money, right. And they’re not willing to spend that money, but part of the reason they’re not willing to spend that money is because not very many lawyers are attacking them for not doing this process.
It’s a game of numbers. They know that people may not afford an attorney or hire the right one. And so it’s a numbers game. They figure, “Hey, we’re going to get away with it and they’re going to pay it. And if they get a lawyer maybe it gets tossed out or get sued. That’s the wrong way to do law enforcement.
Well, yeah its the wrong way to do science too because it goes from “I guess you could call the crime lab” is law enforcement, but I kind of look at them a little bit different than the the officer that’s out there on the street. He’s got his realm, but when you get into the lab, you’re talking about science. And you got scientists, and I think they should even more so need to ensure that they’re accurate and reliable when they’re reporting things
The lab is supposed to be an independent, they’re not supposed to take sides. A lot of times they’re buddy buddy with law enforcement.
I will give the crime lab a little bit of of credit here in the sense that I can call them up and talk to them, but when we start getting to where I’ve identified a problem, then it’s the return call, stop and the conversation changes to, well, I’ll have to give you a call back after I talk to my supervisor or something like that. And I don’t give them calls back. But in the prosecutor’s office, I don’t think they have that problem.
