HPD Lab May Face DNA Overload
Lisa Kubota - lkubota@kgmb9.com

The Honolulu Police Department's forensic team faces several challenges. They already have a backlog of cases, and DNA analysts are now getting ready to handle even more responsibility. A new law means they will have to take thousands of samples from all of Hawaii's convicted felons.

In the Scientific Investigation Section, HPD workers use science to crack cases. High-tech instruments help workers identify drugs and examine evidence.

"Evidence can tell a story, so by analyzing it, it can help the investigators solve the crime," explained lab director Joanne Furuya.

The most expensive piece of equipment is a scanning electron microscope. The $280,000 tool can magnify tiny things like gunshot residue up to 100,000 times. It may seem like something out of a television show like CSI, but in real life, catching criminals is not that easy.

"It does give the impression that we can do magic here, and by getting the analysis within an eight-hour period," said Furuya.

On average, a simple case can take about a week while a more complicated case could take months to solve. The DNA division has six analysts and a backlog of 30 cases.

Now, the team is bracing for another challenge. A new law means workers will have to collect, analyze and store an estimated 40,000 samples from all of Hawaii's convicted felons.

"We're looking to increase the staff, get more funding, increase the space so that we can best accommodate the law," said Furuya.

DNA databases are used to help clear unsolved cases in other states.

"It will be difficult," admitted Furuya. "It will be stressful for our DNA analysts, but they are all hard workers, and so we're going to try and work with our partners as best as we can."

The collection will be done in stages, starting with the most violent offenders.