An architect has been selected to design the District’s much-needed forensics lab, but the city still hasn’t nailed down where it will build the facility.
Though it’s out of session, the D.C. Council has approved a one-year, $11.5 million contract with Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum for design and engineering work associated with the lab’s development. The $250 million Consolidated Laboratory Facility, to be financed with local and federal dollars, will include space for a Metropolitan Police Department forensics lab, the D.C. morgue, a public health lab and a Bio-Safety Level 3 lab to identify deadly pathogens used in a biological terror attack.
“This is very good news for families of victims, who have pressed the government to move forward with our own forensics capacity,” said Ward 3 Council Member Kathy Patterson, a candidate for council chair.
“For far too long we have failed to use up-to-date science to take violent criminals off the streets.”
Patterson formerly chaired the council’s judiciary committee and led the lobby for a District-owned lab. D.C. has long depended on the FBI’s facility at Quantico for forensics work, slowing or even stalling police investigations — especially when DNA tests are required.
The District has technicians training at the FBI lab who will eventually staff the city’s facility.
But where will it go?
The selection hasn’t been easy, and multiple sites have been considered.
“It was my understanding from the executive a couple months ago that we had a location, but it just hadn’t been made public,” Patterson said.
Vince Morris, Mayor Anthony Williams’ spokesman, said there are several options and “we’re going through the pros and cons of each of the sites that we’ve identified.”
“Butin the meantime, we need to move ahead with the contract,” Morris said.
