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BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING FOR THE HOUSTON FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTER.I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
IT IS 9:02 AM UH, MS. HAM, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE? YES MA'AM.
WE HAVE A QUORUM AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, WE NOW OPEN THE FLOOR FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND INVITE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC THAT WISHES TO SPEAK TO COME TO THE PODIUM AND ADDRESS THE BOARD.
WE ASK ALL SPEAKERS TO SIGN IN AT THE FRONT OF THE ROOM SO WE ARE AWARE OF YOUR PRESENCE AND THAT ALL COMMENTS TO, UH, WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES.
YOU MAY SPEAK ON ANY MATTER CONCERNING THE BOARD AND HFSC AT THIS TIME.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO HAS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY.
SEEING NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE, UH, I AM GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE WILL NOW MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS THE, UH, MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 10TH, 2023 BOARD MEETING AND CONSIDERATION OF ANY PROPOSED CORRECTIONS, IF THERE ARE ANY, AND THEN APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
TODAY WE WILL CONSIDER THE MEETING MINUTES FROM MARCH 10.
I TRUST EVERYONE HAS HAD A TI UH, HAS HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE DOCUMENT.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS TO THE MINUTES? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, WE WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE VOTE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SO MOVED.
DIRECTOR HILDER MADE THE MOTION.
ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY, THE MOTION CARRIES AND THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS THE, UH, FOR US TO CONSIDER THE ANNUAL APPOINTMENT OF CORPORATE OFFICERS DR. PETER STOUT AS PRESIDENT DR.
A CASTILLO AS VICE PRESIDENT, MR. DAVID LEACH'S, TREASURER, AND MS. SANDRA HAM AS SECRETARY, AND ANY POSSIBLE RELATED ACTION.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, THE BOARD APPOINTS HFSC CORPORATE OFFICERS ANNUALLY AS REQUIRED BY OUR BYLAWS.
LAST YEAR WE MOVED THIS MO THIS VOTE TO THE MAY MEETING TO ACCOMMODATE OUR NEW MEETING SCHEDULE.
WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE A WONDERFUL GROUP OF CORPORATE OFFICERS AND I AM PLEASED TO OFFER THEM UP TO THE BOARD FOR REAPPOINTMENT.
WE ARE FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH EACH OF THEM AND THEY ARE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB.
SO I DON'T THINK WE NEED ANY MORE OF AN INTRODUCTION SINCE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM QUITE A BIT.
UM, IF THE BOARD IS READY TO ACT, I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO, UH, STRAIGHT TO A VOTE UNLESS WE HAVE DISCUSSION.
SO AT THIS TIME, WE WILL CONDUCT A VOICE VOTE TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF OUR CORPORATE OFFICERS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPOINT DR. STOUT AS PRESIDENT? DR. CASTILLO IS VICE PRESIDENT.
MR. LEACH IS TREASURER AND MS. HAM AS SECRETARY.
UNTIL THE MAY, 2024 BOARD MEETING I MOVE.
UH, DIRECTOR COHEN AND DIRECTOR HILDER.
SO,
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
YOU'RE IT, YOU GUYS ARE IT FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CORPORATE OFFICERS.
ALRIGHT, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX.
UH, THIS IS A REPORT FROM THE BOARD CHAIR, WHICH WILL INCLUDE A MONTHLY UPDATE OF ACTIVITIES AND OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UM, OUR FIRST TOPIC THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS RECOGNITION OF MARY LYNCH, OUR BOARD VICE CHAIR, AND FRANCISCO MEDINA, OUR DIRECTOR.
UPON CONCLUSION OF THEIR APPOINTED TERMS, WHICH IS JUNE 30TH OF THIS YEAR.
UH, FOR MY REPORT, I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT, BUT I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW ITEMS THAT WILL RELATE TO UPCOMING BOARD BUSINESS.
FIRST, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT OUR NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY, JULY 13TH.
UM, I KNOW THAT MEETING FALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER, UM, WHEN MANY OF YOU MAY BE TRAVELING, BUT I DO WANNA ENSURE YOU THAT JUST PLEASE GET THE DATE ON YOUR CALENDAR.
'CAUSE WE WILL HAVE SOME, I KNOW LOOK AT PHILLIP OVER THERE ALREADY SAYING
UM, I DO, UH, WE DO HAVE A FEW ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY THAT MAY APPOINT TOWARDS A POTENTIAL SPECIAL MEETING.
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MAKE EVERYONE AWARE OF WHAT'S OF THE FUTURE MEETINGS AND THE, AND THE, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A SPECIAL MEETING.UM, AS ALWAYS, IF WE DO NEED TO SCHEDULE A SPECIAL MEETING, IT WILL BE FOR TIME SENSITIVE ITEMS AND I WILL TRY TO GIVE YOU AS MUCH NOTICE AS POSSIBLE.
NEXT, I WANNA TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO RECOGNIZE OUR BOARD MEMBERS WHO TERMS ARE EXPIRING AT THE END OF JUNE.
LET ME START WITH THOSE MEMBERS WHO WILL HOPEFULLY BE UP FOR REAPPOINTMENT WITH CITY COUNCIL.
WE ANTICIPATE THAT DIRECTORS ALLEN COHEN AND ANA VASQUEZ WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR REAPPOINTMENT ONCE THE CITY TAKE, UH, CITY COUNCIL TAKES UP THE MATTER.
I AM OPTIMISTIC AND WE WILL BE, UH, THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO FORMALLY WELCOME THEM BACK AGAIN DURING OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING.
WE THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU FOR ANOTHER THREE YEARS.
SO, IN ADDITION TO OUR DIRECTORS WHO INTEND TO REMAIN WITH US, WE ALSO HAVE TWO DIRECTORS WHO WILL ROLL OFF THE BOARD IN JUNE.
UH, THOSE DIRECTORS ARE VICE CHAIR MARY LYNCH AND DIRECTOR FRANCISCO MEDINA.
WE HAVE A SPECIAL SENDOFF FOR THEM IN RECOGNITION FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK ON BEHALF OF HFSC OVER THE YEARS, DIRECTOR MEDINA WAS UNABLE TO JOIN US TODAY, BUT I WANTED TO BE SURE TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE HIS SERVICE.
AND I DO HE HOPE THAT HE WILL TUNE, TUNE INTO THE RECORDING TO HEAR THIS DIRECTOR MEDINA JOINED HFSC BOARD IN 2017, AND HE WILL BE COMPLETING HIS SECOND TERM WITH THE BOARD DIRECTOR.
MEDINA BEGAN HIS CAREER AS AN ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
MR. MEDINA LATER PRACTICED CRIMINAL DEFENSE, UH, LAW FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.
HE IS CURRENTLY A PERSONAL INJURY TRIAL LAWYER AND A PUBLIC FINANCE LAWYER.
HE HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL MEMBER OF THE BOARD AND IS ONE OF THE NICEST PEOPLE THAT YOU WILL EVER MEET.
WE ARE VERY THANKFUL TO HAVE WORKED WITH HIM ALL THESE YEARS AND WISH HIM WELL IN IN HIS NEXT VENTURE.
THANK YOU, FRANK, FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR HFSC.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
UM, VICE CHAIR LYNCH WAS APPOINTED TO HSCS BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN JUNE OF 2017 OR JULY, I AM SORRY.
AND HAS SERVED, UH, AS IN THE VICE CHAIR POSITION SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2019.
VICE CHAIR LYSKEY RETIRED IN 2016 AFTER A 33 YEAR CAREER WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SHE ROSE THROUGH THE RANKS AND BECAME AN ASSISTANT CHIEF IN 2013.
DURING HER TENURE WITH THE BOARD, SHE HAS BEEN A STEADY PRESENCE FOR US.
I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEEK HER COUNCIL OFTEN AS VICE CHAIR, AND SHE ALWAYS BRINGS A UNIQUE AND VALUABLE PERSPECTIVE TO OUR CONVERSATIONS.
UH, WE ARE REALLY GOING TO MISS HER AROUND HERE AND IT WILL BE A BIG CHANGE, UH, TO NOT SEE HER SITTING HERE AT THE BOARD MEETINGS.
HOWEVER, SHE CERTAINLY DESERVES TO ENJOY HER RETIREMENT.
WE HAVE A NICE HANDMADE WOODEN BOX FROM DR. STOUT AND A FRAME CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION FOR VICE CHAIR LYNCH AND DIRECT TO MEDINA TO COMMEMORATE THEIR TIME ON THE BOARD.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO GET A PHOTO OF THE BOARD WITH OUR VICE CHAIR, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, DO WE HAVE ANY REMARKS FROM ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS REGARDING VICE CHAIR LINSKY AND DIRECTOR MEDINA? SO I OPEN THE FLOOR.
I, DR. STOUT, I SEE YOUR HANDS ARE WAVING IF I CAN.
SO, MARY, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE EVERYTHING EVEN BEFORE THE BOARD.
SO I THINK THE FIRST TIME WE MET WAS IN THE STAIRWELL IN 1200 TRAVIS.
I WAS IN THE STAIRWELL BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE TENSE POINTS THAT I WAS AVOIDING THE ELEVATORS.
UM, AND YOU HAD SOME VERY KIND WORDS FOR ME AT THAT POINT, AND I VERY MUCH HAVE APPRECIATED YOUR SUPPORT OF THE LABORATORY, YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT THIS MEANS, AND ALSO THE PERSPECTIVE OF JUST HOW DIFFICULT THIS HAS BEEN AT TIMES.
SO I'M VERY MUCH GONNA MISS YOU.
CHIEF, YOU HAVE RETIRED BEFORE
I, I WAS, UH, VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD FOR YOU.
IS IT WORKING? I CAN'T GET ANY CLOSER.
SO ANYWAYS, YES, I KNOW YOU RETIRED AND, AND, UH, THIS WAS KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF A SECOND CAREER FOR YOU, BUT, UH, YOU WILL CERTAINLY BE MISSED BECAUSE YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN WONDERFUL HERE WITH YOUR PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU'VE HAD.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE MADE SOME GOOD FRIENDS HERE AND I THINK ALL OF US REALLY, REALLY RESPECT EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE OVER THE YEARS.
SO IN YOUR FORMER CAREER AND WITH THE BOARD HERE.
SO, REALLY THANK YOU AND ENJOY WHEREVER YOU'RE GOING AFTER THIS.
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THAT IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.AND TODAY THE CHIEF WAS STANDING THERE AND, UM, AND, AND, AND WE BOTH NEEDED ASSISTANCE.
AND SHE DID IT IN SUCH A CHARMING WAY, AND IT WAS SO, AND SHE DIDN'T CALL EITHER ONE OF US DUMB OR STUPID.
SHE JUST, YOU KNOW, WENT THROUGH ALL THE STEPS AGAIN.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS AND YOUR KINDNESS AND, YOU KNOW, HELPING US THROUGH THAT.
VERY WELCOME AMONG THE OTHER TALENTS.
YEAH, WE'LL STAY JUST WAITING THE PARKING LOT.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA SAY SHE WAS OLD HABITS DIE HARD.
SHE WAS GONNA WRITE YOU A TICKET.
SO, SO I'M RELATIVELY NEW TO KNOWING YOU, BUT I HAVE BEEN IMPRESSED IN THIS VENUE WITH YOUR, YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS, UM, YOUR LEVELHEADEDNESS AND, UM, THE, UH, I DON'T KNOW WAY IN WHICH YOU RELAY YOUR THOUGHTS IN A VERY MODERATE, UM, EFFECTIVE MANNER.
AND I KUDO VICKY THOUGHTS, UM, WORKING WITH YOU ON THE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN SUPER HELPFUL AND YOUR PERSPECTIVE HAS BEEN WONDERFUL.
I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT, YOUR GUIDANCE, YOUR COUNSEL.
UM, I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR QUITE A WHILE.
UM, WHEN YOU WERE WORKING BACK WITH HPD AND SPECIAL VICTIMS AND WERE, UH, ON THE DNA BACKLOG PROJECT AND REALLY MAKING SOME CHANGES WITHIN THAT UNIT TO MAKE IT MORE, UM, VICTIM CENTERED, TRAUMA INFORMED, AND YOU REALLY DID SET THE STANDARD FOR THAT, FOR, FOR THAT UNIT.
AND IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU.
UM, I KNEW IT WAS GONNA BE GREAT BECAUSE MY HUSBAND IS RETIRED POLICE OFFICER WHO WORKED WITH CHIEF LYNCH
AND SO WHEN I TOLD HIM I WAS, SHE WAS NOW IN SPECIAL VICTIMS AND HE'S LIKE, OH, YOU'LL LOVE WORKING WITH HER.
AND IT'S VERY TRUE, AND I HAVE LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT.
SO THANK, AND I, I JUST, UM, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UH, TO THE BOARD FOR A WONDERFUL SIX YEARS.
UM, I KNOW THERE WERE SOME PAST MEMBERS THAT ARE NO LONGER HERE AND THE CURRENT MEMBERS, UH, I HAVE ENJOYED EVERY MOMENT ON THE BOARD.
I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH, AND TO BE PART OF AN ORGANIZATION, TO BE PART OF A, OF A, UH, A PIECE OF, OF MAKING CHANGES, IMPROVING QUALITY.
UM, AND, AND, AND IT'S, IT'S, I I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DESCRIBE IT.
IT, IT WAS THE SAME FEELING I FELT WHEN I WAS ON THE, UM, HPD SEXUAL ASSAULT TASK FORCE.
UM, UM, IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE A ROLE IN, IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE WHERE IT MATTERS.
AND, AND, UH, AND I, I JUST, I, I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN PLACE A TRUE VALUE ON THAT BECAUSE, UH, IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME PERSONALLY AND TO BE PART OF, OF THIS BOARD AND, AND EVERYONE HERE.
UM, I'VE, IT'S, IT'S REALLY BEEN A GREAT SIX YEARS BEING HERE.
AND, UH, UH, I WANT TO THANK STACY, UM, NOT ONLY FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THE BOARD, BUT FOR HER FRIENDSHIP.
AS SHE SAID, WE MET A LONG TIME AGO, AND WE HAVE BEEN FRIENDS, WE HAVE BEEN MENTORS TO EACH OTHER.
WE HAVE, UH, SHARED COUNSELING SESSIONS WITH EACH OTHER, UH, AND TO FIND WAYS TO, TO WORK THINGS THROUGH.
AND, UH, IT'S NOT OFTEN YOU FIND PEOPLE IN THE WORLD LIKE THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND PETER, YES, I I THINK YOU'RE IN THE STAIRWELL FOR OTHER REASONS AS WELL.
UM, BUT, UH,
BUT, UH, UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE MESMERIZING THEN WHEN I MET YOU.
UH, THE, THE, THE BREADTH AND DEPTH OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF FORENSICS AND, AND RUNNING AND, AND, AND, AND HOW TO PUT AN ORGANIZATION TOGETHER.
UM, AND YOU WERE FACED WITH SOME SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES WHEN THE CRIME LAB WAS AT HPD.
UM, AND LOOK WHERE WE ARE NOW.
AND I PUT A LOT OF THAT ON YOUR SHOULDERS.
I PUT IT ON, UM, THE BOARD SHOULDERS AS WELL.
IT'S, IT'S THAT COLLECTIVE WORKING TOGETHER THAT HAS, I THINK, MADE THE DIFFERENCE IN WHERE THE FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTER IS NOW AND WHERE IT'S GOING.
I REALLY DON'T KNOW IF WE WOULD BE WHERE WE ARE WITHOUT YOU TO BE HONEST.
UM, UM, AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO, UH, GIVE A BIG SHOUT
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OUT TO, TO AMY CASTILLO.YOU HAVE TAKEN PHONE CALLS FROM ME AT ALL HOURS, UH, WHEN WE WERE HPD TOGETHER.
AND, UM, UH, YOU HELPED ME THROUGH CASES WHEN I WAS OVER SPECIAL VICTIMS. UM, AND, AND MY FRIENDSHIP WITH YOU IS, IS INVALUABLE.
UM, UH, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING.
UM, UM, AND SO I, I JUST AM VERY, VERY PROUD TO CALL YOU A FRIEND AS WELL.
AND, UM, UH, BUT I DO, UM, UH, IT'S, I'M EXCITED ABOUT RE RETIRING AGAIN.
BUT, UH, I'M ALSO SAD BECAUSE THIS HAS MEANT SO MUCH.
AND LIKE I SAID EARLIER, TO BE PART OF SOMETHING THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IS VERY HARD TO GIVE UP.
BUT I WILL WATCH FROM AFAR AND, UH, SEE EVERYONE CONTINUE TO GROW, SEE THINGS CONTINUE TO GROW AT THE, AT THE, UH, UH, AT THE HFSC.
AND, UM, AND I'M ALWAYS AVAILABLE IF, UH, I'M A PHONE CALL AWAY.
AND SO PLEASE, IF I CAN HELP WITH ANYTHING, JUST LET ME KNOW.
AND, UH, BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING AND YOUR FRIENDSHIPS AND YOUR LEADERSHIP, EVERY ONE OF YOU.
UM, NOW WE NEED TO TAKE A PHOTO.
WE'RE GONNA FORCING A PHOTO HERE.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, DR. STOUT HAS CREATED A LOVELY WOODEN BOX THAT EVERYONE COVETS, YOU KNOW, ON THE BOARD.
IT'S LIKE, OH, WHEN DO I GET MINE? SEE, THAT IS A PERCENT OF THE RETIRE.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THIS CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE FOR SIX YEARS ON THE BOARD.
SO, I THINK IF WE, WE WILL PULL, JUST THROW THESE CHAIRS OFF TO THE SIDE, AND THEN WE'LL ALSO KIND OF STAND AROUND HERE AND GET A QUICK PICTURE.
AND THEY'RE GONNA PULL THESE BACK OVER HERE.
WELL, A REAL CAMERA AND NOT AN IPHONE.
A REAL CAMERA, ACTUAL CAMERA WOULD'VE ACTUALLY WORN A REAL SUIT.
UH, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR INDULGING US SO WE COULD GET A GROUP PICTURE.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS, UH, A SELECTION OF THE VICE CHAIR, A NEW VICE CHAIR, UH, FOR THE BOARD, UM, AT OUR MEMBERS AT OUR NEXT ANNUAL BUSINESS.
UH, MEETING ITEM IS THE SELECTION OF OUR BOARD VICE CHAIR.
UH, THE BOARD PASSED A RESOLUTION IN 2020, WHICH SETS THE ANNUAL SELECTION ON THE SAME AGENDA AS THE CORPORATE OFFICER'S APPOINTMENT.
IT'S NO SECRET NOW THAT WE'RE IN NEED OF A NEW VICE CHAIR.
UM, ALTHOUGH WE WILL MISS, UH, CHIEF LINDSAY GREATLY, MARY, I AM CONFIDENT WE WILL HAVE, UH, MANY CAPABLE BOARD MEMBERS WHO WILL HELP LEAD US THROUGH THE VARIOUS CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING.
OUR, OUR, BY OUR BYLAWS STATE THAT THE BOARD SHALL SELECT A VICE CHAIR FROM AMONG ITS MEMBERS TO PERFORM THE DUTIES AND EXERCISE THE POWERS OF THE CHAIRMAN UPON THE CHAIRMAN'S DEATH, ABSENCE, DISABILITY, RESIGNATION, OR INABILITY TO PERFORM THE DUTIES.
AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, THE VICE CHAIR ALSO PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO THE CHAIR IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS, OFTEN ACTING AS A SOUNDING BOARD, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE CHAIR AND THE EXECUTIVE TEAM.
TO THAT END, I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE DIRECTOR VANESSA GOODWIN TO SERVE AS OUR NEXT VICE CHAIR.
I HAVE ASKED DIRECTOR GOODWIN GOODWIN, AND SHE IS RECEPTIVE TO THIS APPOINTMENT
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AND HAS AGREED TO SERVE IF THE BOARD IS ALSO IN AGREEMENT.DIRECTOR GOODWIN JOINED THE BOARD IN JUNE OF 21, AND HAS BEEN A THOUGHTFUL, DEDICATED MEMBER OF THIS BODY IN HER PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY.
SHE'S THE ASSISTANT, UH, GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE ARNOLD FOUNDATION.
AND HER WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE WILL BRING A VALUABLE PERSPECTIVE TO THE VICE CHAIR POSITION.
SHE WILL BE A WONDERFUL ASSET TO HFSC, AND I HOPE THE BOARD IS ALSO SUPPORTIVE IN THIS NOMINATION.
BEFORE I FORMALLY PUT, UH, DIRECTOR GOODWIN FORWARD FOR A VOTE.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, OR NOMINATIONS? OKAY.
HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I WOULD LIKE TO FORMALLY NOMINATE DIRECTOR VANESSA GOODWIN AS VICE CHAIR TO BECOME VICE CHAIR BEGINNING JUNE 1ST OF THIS YEAR.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? UH, DO I HAVE A, UH, SOMEONE TO MAKE THAT MOTION A SOLE MOVE THAT SHE BECOMES THE NEXT VICE CHAIR.
DIRECTOR COHEN AND DI UH, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR LYNCH, OUR SECOND.
IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? OKAY.
THE MOTION CARRIES, UH, UNANIMOUSLY.
WELCOME THE BOARD AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE AND STEP INTO THIS POSITION, DIRECTOR GOODWIN.
ALRIGHT, UH, AGENDA ITEM EIGHT.
UH, WE ARE TO CONSIDER APPOINTMENTS, UH, FOR THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP MEMBERS.
UM, WE HAVE TWO POTENTIAL MEMBERS THAT WE NEED TO VOTE ON TODAY.
UM, IF YOU RECALL, IN OUR BOARD MEETINGS AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, WE HAD A ROBUST DISCUSSION ABOUT WAYS IN WHICH WE COULD REENGAGE OUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP.
AS A RESULT, I HAVE RECEIVED GREAT INPUT AND FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD, AS WELL AS FROM DR. STOUT.
AFTER CONSIDERING THE ORGANIZATION'S NEEDS AND UPCOMING AREAS OF CHALLENGE, WE NOW HAVE TWO HIGHLY QUALIFIED TAG MEMBERS TO CONSIDER FOR APPOINTMENT.
ADELE QUIGLEY MCBRIDE, A DOCTORAL FELLOW AT DUKE UNIVERSITY, AND DR. MIKE SCHWARTZ, PROFESSOR AND VICE CHAIR AT UT HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER IN HOUSTON.
BOTH INDIVIDUALS HAVE AGREED TO SERVE.
IF THE BOARD APPROVES THEIR APPOINTMENT TODAY, THE RESUMES AND CBS OF DR.
QUIGLEY MCBRIDE AND DR. SCHWARTZ ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET.
BUT I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO DR. STOUT TO GIVE US A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR BACKGROUNDS.
SO, IF YOU RECALL, WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, KINDA THE TRANSITION OF THE TAG OVER THE YEARS FROM AS MUCH OF A RESOURCE FOR THE BOARD AS IT IS A RESOURCE FOR THE LABORATORY.
AND CLIFF WAS PROBABLY THE ONE THAT I TALKED WITH THE MOST.
BUT I'VE TALKED WITH OTHERS AND WE USUALLY HAVE, UH, A COUPLE OF TAG MEMBERS THAT SIT IN ON MEETINGS.
UM, SO IT HAS BECOME A, A VERY USEFUL TOOL FOR US.
SO THE TWO THAT, UH, I'VE TALKED WITH, AND STACY AND I HAVE DISCUSSED, AND I I'VE RECOMMENDED THEM, IS ADELE QUIGLEY MCBRIDE.
SHE IS CURRENTLY, SHE'S FINISHING UP THE POSTDOC UNDER BRANDON GARRETT AT DUKE.
AND THEN SHE IS, UM, ACTUALLY GOING TO VANCOUVER.
SHE CURRENTLY LIVES IN NEW ZEALAND.
SHE'S GOT DUAL CITIZENSHIP BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND AND CANADA.
SO, YOU KNOW, SHE'S GOING FROM NEW ZEALAND TO VANCOUVER.
UM, SHE'S A PSYCHOLOGIST, A PHD IN PSYCHOLOGY, AND RATHER UNIQUELY, A LOT OF HER RESEARCH HAS BEEN AROUND CONFIRMATIONAL BIAS IN LABORATORIES.
UH, AND I THINK VERY IMPORTANTLY FOR US, SHE'S VICE CHAIR OF THE OSAC, WHAT'S CALLED HUMAN FACTORS TASK GROUP.
SO THIS IS A GROUP WITHIN THE OSAC, UH, THE ORGANIZATION OF SCIENTIFIC AREA COMMITTEES.
REMEMBER, THIS IS THE NIST DOJ, UH, ORGANIZATION THAT'S WORKING ON STANDARDS, NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR FORENSIC SCIENCES.
AND THAT HUMAN FACTORS GROUP IS PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON THOSE THINGS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH CONFIRMATIONAL BIAS.
HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE CONTROL BETTER IN LABORATORIES, THESE, THESE THINGS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO BIAS.
SO, UH, I THINK SHE'LL BE A MARVELOUS ADDITION TO US ON THAT FRONT.
VICKI VERY KINDLY WAS THE ROUTE BY WHICH I GOT CONNECTED WITH DR. SCHWARTZ.
UH, I THINK I'VE HAD, I'VE HAD BOTH OF 'EM AROUND FOR A TOUR OF THE LABORATORY.
UM, AND LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH OF THEM.
SWARTZ, UH, IS A PART OF THE BIOSTATISTICS GROUP WITHIN THE PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, SCHOOL AT UT HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER HERE IN HOUSTON.
AND I THINK PARTICULARLY WHAT IS A GOOD FIT WITH HIM IS HE'S VERY MUCH A BESIAN STA STATISTICIAN.
SO BESIAN STATISTICS IS BECOME MUCH MORE PROMINENT IN FORENSICS.
STR MIX IS BASICALLY A GIANT STATISTICS EXERCISE.
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PROBABILISTIC ANALYSIS IS FUNDAMENTALLY BE STATISTICS.I THINK HE WILL BE VERY HELPFUL TO US IN HOW WE HANDLE LIKELIHOOD RATIOS, THE INTERPRETATION OF THIS, THE EXPLANATION OF IT, TRAINING ON IT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M, I'M REALLY HOPEFUL FOR THERE.
SO SINCE I CAN'T TALK, I'LL STOP THERE, BUT THOSE ARE OUR TWO FOLKS.
DO YOU WANT SOME WATER AND THEN ANYTHING ELSE, OR ARE YOU NO, I GOT ME SET HERE.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT OUR TWO POTENTIAL
HEARING NONE, WE WILL PROCEED WITH A VOTE AT THIS TIME.
WE WILL CONDUCT A VOICE VOTE TO APPROVE, UH, THE APPOINTMENT OF THE TWO NEW TECHNICAL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPOINT DR.
ADELE QUIGLEY MCBRIDE AND DR. MIKE SCHWARTZ TO THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY BOARD.
THE, UH, MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY, SO THEY ARE NOW MEMBERS.
NEXT, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS OUR FINAL STATUS REPORT FROM THE BOARD WORKING GROUP ON CRIME SCENE UNIT FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND IMPROVEMENT, AND ANY POSSIBLE RELATED ACTION.
UH, IF YOU RECALL, DURING OUR LAST UPDATE FROM THE BOARD WORKING GROUP IN JANUARY, VICE CHAIR LYNCH INFORMED US THAT THE GROUP WAS NEARING THE CONCLUSION OF ITS WORK AS PROMISED, THAT GROUP HAS CONTINUED ITS ITS EFFORTS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HFSC EXECUTIVE TEAM.
I KNOW WE ARE ALL EAGER TO HEAR ABOUT THE GROUP'S PROGRESS.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO VICE CHAIR LYNCH FOR THE FINAL STATUS REPORT.
UH, IN AUGUST OF 21, THE BOARD FORMED A WORKING GROUP TO ADDRESS THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE JULY, 2021 OIG REPORT IN REGARDS TO, UH, CONCERNS AND ISSUES, UH, INVOLVING THE CSU GROUP.
UM, EARLY ON, THE WORKING GROUP REVIEWED AND DISCUSSED THE CHANGES MADE IN C ISSUE, WHICH INCLUDED TRAINING, FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING, AND ADJUSTING THE STAFF STRUCTURE TO ENSURE THE UNIT RECEIVED THE NECESSARY SUPPORT.
THESE CHANGES HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE UNIT, AND THE UNIT CONTINUES TO LOOK FOR WAYS, UH, TO CONTINUE, UM, TO IMPROVE AND, AND BUILD ON THOSE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
UM, THE LAST PIECE FOR THE WORKING GROUP FOCUSED ON REVIEWING AND UPDATING SOME KEY HFSC POLICIES REGARDING WORKPLACE BEHAVIOR, UH, TO HELP MITIGATE AND PREVENT HFSC FROM FINDING THEMSELVES IN A SIMILAR SITUATION AS IT DID WITH CSU.
THE POLICIES REVIEWED, UH, INCLUDED THE WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT POLICY CONDUCT EXPECTATIONS AND PROBLEM RESOLUTION.
THIS REVIEW, UM, INCLUDED, UH, UH, AN OVERVIEW BY AND FEEDBACK FROM MANAGERS AT HFSC.
THE NEW UPDATED DRAFT POLICY HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE BOARD PACKET.
AND THIS ONE POLICY NOW ADDRESSES CONDUCT OVERALL AS WELL AS HARASSMENT.
IT ALSO ENSURES THAT IT IS CLEAR THAT ANY VIOLATION OF THIS PO OF THESE OF THIS POLICY MUST BE BROUGHT TO HR.
SO THE POLICIES WERE, WERE, WERE LOOKED AT AND, AND THEY'RE MUCH CLEARER AND THEY GIVE, UH, THE EMPLOYEES A LOT MORE DIRECTION ON HOW TO HANDLE, UH, FUTURE CONCERNS, UH, THAT THEY FIND, UH, WHILE THEY'RE WORKING.
THE NEXT STEPS AFTER THIS MEETING INCLUDE, UH, HFSC STAFF, UH, TRAINING AROUND THIS POLICY AND IMPLEMENTING A YEARLY REQUIRED REVIEW, UH, FOR ALL STAFF, UM, THAT WILL BE ALSO ACCOMPANIED BY A QUIZ TO AID IN UNDERSTANDING THE CRITICAL POLICY.
SO, UH, I, I THINK THAT'S INVALUABLE TO ENSURE THAT EVERY YEAR THAT POLICY IS REVIEWED, UM, TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS AND UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE POLICY IS SAYING AND THE DIRECTIONS IT'S GIVING.
SO BASED ON THE PROGRESS MADE AT THIS TIME, UM, THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDS WE CLOSE OUT THIS GROUP WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WORK IN THESE AREAS SHOULD ALWAYS CONTINUE AND BE REVIEWED, UH, UH, ON A REGULAR BASIS, UH, JUST TO ENSURE WE'RE DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS.
SO I RECOMMEND THAT, UH, THE WORKING GROUP, THE CSU WORKING GROUP BE CLOSED AND LET HSC MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH EVERYTHING THEY'VE DONE.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? I OKAY.
[00:30:01]
NONE, I WANT, AGAIN, TO, UH, TO THANK OUR BOARD WORKING GROUP AND THE EXECUTIVE TEAM FOR ALL THE, THEIR EFFORTS.I CANNOT STRESS HOW IMPORTANT THIS WORK WAS FOR THE BOARD.
WHEN HFSC FACES CHALLENGES OF THIS NATURE, I WANNA BE SURE THAT WE LEARN AS MANY LESSONS AS POSSIBLE AND TO MAKE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS WHERE, WHERE APPROPRIATE, I BELIEVE THIS WORK HAS BEEN DONE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMITMENT OF OUR STAFF EXECUTIVE TEAM AND THE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS.
VICE CHAIR, LINSKY, DIRECTOR HUFF AND DIRECTOR GOODWIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING TIME OUTTA YOUR SCHEDULES TO HELP WITH THIS AND TO HELP, UM, MOVE THINGS FORWARD.
AND FOR A FINAL ITEM OF BUSINESS ON THIS TOPIC, AS BOARD CHAIR, I CALLED THE WORKING GROUP TO, UH, TOGETHER TO CARRY OUT THIS PURPOSE.
AND WITH THAT SAME AUTHORITY, I WILL NOW BRING THIS GROUP TO CONCLUSION.
ALTHOUGH THE BOARD'S FORMAL EFFORTS HAVE CONCLUDED, PLEASE KNOW THAT THESE ISSUES WILL, WILL REMAIN A PRIORITY WITH THE EXECUTIVE TEAM.
AND WE DO EXPECT LEADERSHIP TO MAKE THE BOARD AWARE OF ANY URGENT MATTERS THAT MAY ARISE IN THE FUTURE.
AGAIN, MANY THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO IS INVOLVED WITH THIS PROJECT AND THIS WORKING GROUP.
ITEM NUMBER 10 IS OUR REPORT FROM DR. STOUT.
OUR CEO AND PRESIDENT WILL INCLUDE AN UPDATE ON THE A DA LEGISLATIVE SESSION OVERVIEW OF OPERATIONS, TECHNICAL UPDATES, AND OTHER CORPORATE BUSINESS ITEMS, DR. STOUT.
NOW IT'S UP TO ME WHETHER PHILIP MAKES HIS FLIGHT HERE OR NOT.
SO A COUPLE OF OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S NOT TOO MUCH IN HERE THAT'S NOT IN MY, MY WEEKLY UPDATES OF THINGS, BUT I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THE, THE H-C-D-A-O POLICY, THE DA'S POLICY THAT PERTAINS TO DRUG CASES CONTAINING LESS THAN FOUR GRAMS. REMEMBER THIS, IS THAT THEY WON'T ACCEPT CHARGES ON ANYTHING LESS THAN FOUR GRAMS UNLESS THEY'VE GOT THE LABORATORY CONFIRMATION.
HONESTLY, I CANNOT SAY YET WHAT IMPACT THIS IS GONNA HAVE ON THE LABORATORY.
WHAT WHERE WE'RE AT IS THOSE LESS THAN FOUR GRAM CASES ARE PROBABLY ABOUT 75% OF THE SUBMISSIONS THAT WE GET IN SEIZE DRUGS.
SO IT'S GONNA HAVE SOME KIND OF IMPACT.
UH, I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT YET.
WE ARE WATCHING AND WILL PUT IN WEEKLY STATISTICS, THE DISTRIBUTION OF REQUESTS THAT WE STILL GET FROM THE DA'S OFFICE WHERE THEY HAVE ACCEPTED CHARGES AND WHERE WE'RE GETTING REQUESTS FROM OFFICERS.
I WILL SAY WE'VE GOT SOME INITIAL INDICATIONS THAT ARE WHAT WE KINDA WORRY ABOUT, THAT THERE ARE MORE CASES COMING INTO HPD THAN WE ARE SEEING A TOTAL NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR.
SO, IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE TOTAL UP THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS WE GET FROM THE DA'S OFFICE AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF REQUESTS THAT WE GET FROM OFFICERS RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE MORE MATERIALS THAT WE KNOW COME INTO THE NARCOTICS EVIDENCE ROOM THAN THERE ARE REQUESTS FOR.
SO RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE STUFF ISN'T GETTING REQUESTED, AND SOONER OR LATER THAT'S GONNA CATCH UP.
BUT I, I, I REALLY CAN'T SAY YET IF THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE, IF THIS IS A MINOR ISSUE, I SUSPECT RIGHT NOW THAT IS REFLECTIVE OF THIS, WHEN THIS WENT INTO EFFECT, THIS EXPANDED THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS THAT HAVE TO DIRECTLY MAKE REQUESTS.
SO NOW YOU'VE GOT UPWARDS OF ABOUT 3000 IN PATROL THAT ALL HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO MAKE A REQUEST, WHICH IS WAY UP FROM WHAT WE PREVIOUSLY HAD.
SO I'M SURE THERE ARE LAGS IN GETTING THEM SET UP AND BEING ABLE TO MAKE REQUESTS HOW TO DO THAT.
IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME, AND THAT MAY BE THE LAG THAT WE'RE SEEING.
I, I REALLY JUST DON'T KNOW YET.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR.
AMY'S BEEN WORKING WITH SEIZE DRUGS ABOUT HOW TO CAPTURE MORE AND BETTER DATA ABOUT THIS, UM, SO THAT WE CAN SEE THE PATTERNS THAT ARE THERE.
BUT, UH, IT'S, IT, IT'S GONNA HAVE AN IMPACT.
IF YOU GO BACK AND YOU LOOK IN THE DETAILED DATA, AND I WON'T PAGE ALL THE WAY BACK THERE, BUT YOU CAN SEE SEES DRUGS RIGHT NOW IS ABOUT A 90 DAY TOTAL TURNAROUND TIME FROM THE POINT OF REQUEST TO THE POINT THAT WE SEND OUT THE REPORT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TIME THAT IT SPENDS ACTUALLY AN ANALYSIS THAT'S ABOUT EIGHT DAYS.
SO, AND DOWN ON THE BOTTOM PART OF IT, YOU CAN SEE WE GET A LOT MORE CASES IN THAN WE REPORT OUT.
WHAT THAT POINTS AT IS ONCE WE GET IT IN AN ANALYST'S HANDS, THEY'RE VERY QUICK ABOUT GETTING IT DONE.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ANALYSTS TO DO IT.
WE'VE GOT ONE THAT HOPEFULLY WILL GET SIGNED OFF HERE IN JUNE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, I'M, I KNOW I'M A BROKEN RECORD ON THIS.
WE, WE HAVE DONE AN AWFUL LOT OF WORK OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS TO MAKE THINGS BOTH BETTER AND FASTER.
[00:35:01]
WE JUST SIMPLY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE, PERIOD.AND THERE'S NOT REALLY ANY WAY AROUND, JUST NEED MORE STRAWS TO SHOVE ALL THE WATER THROUGH.
UH, DNA, UM, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS ONE AS WELL.
WE HAVE SEEN ABOUT A 78% INCREASE IN THE COST OF THE COMMERCIAL DNA SERVICES.
SO BETWEEN THAT AND TRYING TO OUTSOURCE MORE DNA BECAUSE OF THE IMPACTS OF THE COLON CASE AND OTHER PERSONNEL CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE HAD IN DNA, WE ARE EXHAUSTING THE FEDERAL MONEY THAT WE HAVE TO OUTSOURCE FAR FASTER THAN WE PLANNED ON.
SO BASICALLY, YOU CAN THINK OF IT THAT WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF FEDERAL MONEY HERE THIS MONTH.
AMY AND COURTNEY AND ABBY HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME FIGURING OUT HOW WE CAN JUGGLE STUFF AROUND AND TRY AND STRETCH THINGS OUT A WHILE.
BUT PART OF WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE WILL GO BACK TO ONLY OUTSOURCING SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS, NOT ANYTHING ELSE, UM, THAT'LL AT LEAST STRETCH US FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
THIS IS, THIS IS ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT I HAVE CAUTIONED ABOUT.
WE, WE, THIS IS A BAD TIME TO RUN OUTTA MONEY ON THIS, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
WE'RE RUNNING OUTTA FEDERAL MONEY.
THE NEXT, IF WE ARE LUCKY, THE NEXT ROUND OF FEDERAL FUNDING WILL RELEASE IN OCTOBER.
BUT IT'S THE FEDS, UM, IT, IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS A BET WHETHER THEY'RE GONNA ACTUALLY RELEASE MONEY ON TIME OR NOT.
SO YES, THIS WILL ADD TO BACKLOGS.
HOPEFULLY THAT'S, THAT'S CLEAR TO EVERYBODY.
THIS IS GOING TO ADD TO BACKLOGS UNLESS THERE IS SOME OTHER FUNDING SOURCE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO OUTSOURCE, THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
I ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? UH, SO FIREARMS, WE'VE GOT TWO EXAMINERS IN, UH, TRAINING.
REMEMBER, BUILDING A FIREARMS EXAMINER IS A VERY LONG COURSE, PROBABLY FOUR YEARS, IF WE GET LUCKY, IT MIGHT BE CLOSER TO TWO, BUT PLAN ON FOUR.
IT IS A VERY LONG COURSE TO BUILD A FIREARMS EXAMINER.
UM, IT IS, AND, AND I'VE BEEN GOING BACK THROUGH PAST PRESENTATIONS AND RANTS THAT I'VE HAD ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.
WE PREDICTED THIS IS WHERE WE WERE GONNA BE, THAT WE WERE GONNA BE THE BACK LAW.
WE WERE GONNA BE THE BOTTLENECK IN EVERYTHING.
WE HAVE 34, UH, COURT PRIORITIES.
PRETTY MUCH EVERY ONE OF 'EM IS A HOMICIDE WITH A GUN.
EVERY ONE OF THEM IS A PRIORITY BECAUSE THERE'S A TRIAL PENDING.
THESE ARE VERY LABOR INTENSIVE.
HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF LABOR HOURS GO INTO EACH OF THESE THINGS.
THE 200 AND SOME ODD BACKLOG FIREARMS CASES WE HAVE REPRESENT EASILY, EASILY MORE THAN 20,000 LABOR HOURS.
SO YEAH, THIS IS A BIG WORRY, AND IT'S, THERE IS NO PLACE WE CAN OUTSOURCE FIREARMS DOESN'T EXIST.
WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BUILD THE CAPACITY, BUT IT IS GOING TO TAKE TIME TO BUILD THE CAPACITY.
UM, YEAH, BIOLOGY AND FIREARMS SEIZE DRUGS.
THEY'RE THE BIG CONCERNS RIGHT NOW.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS DOING REMARKABLY WELL.
UH, DIGITAL MULTIMEDIA HAS CARVED AWAY MORE THAN HALF OF THEIR BACKLOG.
UM, TOXICOLOGY IS MORE THAN 60% DOWN.
LATENT PRINTS MORE THAN ALMOST 90%.
THEY WERE NEARLY 3000 NOT THAT LONG AGO, IS AN IMMENSE CHANGE THAT THEY HAVE MADE.
NOW, THIS IS ALL, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE, HAVE BEEN MASSIVELY BENEFITED BY THE ARPA MONEY THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US.
WE HAVE TRAINED MANY MULTIPLE PEOPLE.
I WAS LOOKING AT THE STATS ON THAT.
WE HAVE BASICALLY, UH, AFFORDED 23,000.
IS THAT RIGHT, AMY? ABOUT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD HOURS OF TRAINING UNDER ARPA.
SINCE WE STARTED THAT MONEY IN AUGUST, IT HAS BEEN A MASSIVE INFLUX FOR US TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN.
I, IT WE WOULD BE IN REALLY, REALLY BAD SHAPE WITHOUT IT.
UM, BUT THEY HAVE REALLY INCREASED THE CAPACITY WITHIN LATENT PRINT PROCESSING.
SO EVEN THAT BACKLOG IS DOWN BY ABOUT A QUARTER.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT'S REALLY GOING QUITE WELL.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU BACKLOGS GRIND ON THE STAFF, THEY TAKE THEM VERY SERIOUSLY.
THEY JUST AS, EVEN AS MUCH AS I TRY AND TELL 'EM, GUYS, IT'S OKAY, I UNDERSTAND IT.
YOU NEED TO DO THE CORRECT JOB WITH THIS STUFF, DON'T WORRY.
[00:40:01]
THEY WORRY ABOUT THE BACKLOGS.UH, THEY JUST CAN'T PUT IT DOWN.
ANYTHING I CAN ANSWER ABOUT PRODUCTION TYPE STUFF RIGHT NOW? ALL RIGHT.
UH, WE ARE GETTING DOWN, UM, INTO THE LAST STRETCH HERE.
WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY MUCH PAST THE LAST OF THE DEADLINES OF THINGS THAT CAN GO ON TO HOUSE AND SENATE FLOOR.
UM, IF YOU LOOK, HOUSE BILL 1 78 WAS ONE THAT WE HAVE HAD SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS ABOUT.
THAT WAS THE BILL THAT WOULD'VE HAD US TESTING EVERYTHING FROM STRAY DOGS TO DIRTY SOCKS FOR FENTANYL.
UM, THAT ONE APPEARS TO BE AT A STANDSTILL.
IT PASSED OUT OF THE HOUSE, UH, WAS OVER IN SENATE CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND HAS SAT THERE.
I THINK IF IT DIDN'T MAKE IT OUTTA THERE LAST NIGHT, IT IS PROBABLY NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
I ALWAYS KNOW TEXAS LEGISLATURE IS RENOWNED FOR BEING ABLE TO PULL ZOMBIES BACK LAST MINUTE.
UM, SO UNTIL THAT LAST GAVEL FALLS AND THEY GO SIGN DIE, I, I WILL CONTINUE TO HOLD MY BREATH, BUT I THINK THIS ONE MAY BE DONE FOR THIS, THIS YEAR.
HOUSE BILL 33 54 WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT WOULD'VE HAD US TESTING STRAY CATS AND DIRTY SOCKS.
UM, THAT ONE HAS NEVER HAD A HEARING.
I'M PRETTY CERTAIN THAT ONE IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE EITHER NOW.
SO, UM, I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE DODGED ANOTHER ONE.
THERE WERE MULTIPLE BILLS THAT WERE LOOKING TO INCREASE THE CHARGING AND THE PENALTIES FOR FENTANYL OVERDOSES.
BASICALLY, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE, THE, THE LOGICAL FRAMEWORK IS IF I PROVIDE A PILL TO SOMEBODY AND THEY DIE OF AN OVERDOSE THAT I COULD BE CHARGED WITH HOMICIDE IS, IS THE IDEA THERE.
I'VE SEEN THIS AROUND THE COUNTRY OF TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO CHARGE MORE AGGRESSIVELY SOMEBODY THAT IS POISONING SOMEBODY.
UM, WHILE THIS HAS RELATIVELY LITTLE IMPACT ON US IN THE LABORATORY, UH, WHERE IT WILL HAVE IMPACTS AS THESE BILLS HAVE EVOLVED.
AND SB 6 45 AND HOUSE BILL SIX, I THINK ARE GONNA BE THE BILLS THAT ACTUALLY GO TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK.
THEY PUT IN LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT FROM THE LABORATORY STANDPOINT, I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN WORK WITH, ORIGINALLY THE LANGUAGE WAS, IF YOU DETECT FENTANYL, THAT'S A FENTANYL POISONING.
UM, WORKED WITH SENATOR HUFFMAN TO HELP UNDERSTAND THERE'S, THAT COULD CAUSE SOME REALLY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
SO THE LANGUAGE THAT'S IN THERE FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE LABORATORY, WHERE WHAT WE WOULD DETECT AND WHAT THAT WOULD BE DEFINED AS A FENTANYL POISONING IS WORKABLE.
BUT THEY DID, AND THIS IS WHAT'S GOT THE FORENSIC PATHOLOGISTS AND MEDICAL EXAMINERS AROUND THE STATE PRETTY CONCERNED.
IT DOES DICTATE TO THEM THAT IF IT IS AN OPIOID INTOXICATION, THEY HAVE TO HAVE FENTANYL POISONING AS PART OF THE CAUSE OF DEATH.
AND IT DICTATES THAT THE MANNER OF DEATH HAS TO BE SIGNED OUT AS A HOMICIDE.
SO I THINK THERE IS POTENTIAL, THIS IS GONNA HAVE SOME UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES ONCE THIS PASSES THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, SETTING ASIDE, YOU KNOW, I, I UNDERSTAND WHY THE LOGIC ON THIS, BUT I THINK THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES IN CASES BECAUSE OF HOW THEY'RE TRYING TO DICTATE ESSENTIALLY MEDICAL PRACTICE TO THE PATHOLOGISTS.
UM, BUT I, I FULLY EXPECT THAT THESE ARE GONNA GET SIGNED.
UM, THERE, THERE'S VERY STRONG SUPPORT.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, I'M PRETTY SURE THEY'RE HEADED TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK AND ARE GONNA GET SIGNED.
UM, MANY MULTIPLE BILLS RELATED TO CANNABIS.
UH, THERE'S, THERE'S A, THERE'S A COUPLE OF 11TH HOUR EFFORTS TO TRY AND DEAL WITH SOME OF THE MEDICAL CANNABIS STUFF.
I REALLY DON'T KNOW IF ANYTHING IS GONNA MOVE HERE.
EVEN WHAT I'VE SEEN IN SOME OF THE 11TH HOUR, UM, LANGUAGE EFFORTS, OUR LIFE AT LEAST DOESN'T GET WORSE.
UM, NOTHING GETS BETTER ON HEMP AND MARIJUANA.
AND FOR THE RECORD, BECAUSE I ALWAYS HAVE TO GET IT IN THERE.
I STILL HATE HEMP OUTTA THIS SESSION.
UM, BUT AT LEAST DOESN'T GET ANY WORSE FOR US.
UH, SENATE BILL 4 0 2, WHICH IS ABOUT THE PRIORITIZATION OF HOMICIDE TRIALS, PRETTY SURE THAT THIS IS GOING TO ADVANCE AND GET SIGNED INTO LAW.
UM, AGAIN, THE IMPACT FOR US IS INDIRECT.
IT, IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN BECAUSE THIS COULD CREATE THE CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE WE HAVE EFFECTIVELY CONFLICTING PRIORITIES IN THE LAW.
[00:45:01]
SEXUAL ASSAULT KIT FIRST OR DO I DO THE HOMICIDE FIRST? THEY BOTH HAVE LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR PRIORITIZATION, BUT I DON'T, I I'M, I I, I THINK THE IMPACTS FOR THIS WILL BE MANAGEABLE, BUT WE'LL SEE.BUT I MEAN, 'CAUSE THAT COULD EVEN IMPACT THE OUTSOURCING.
BECAUSE WE JUST PULLED BACK ON SOME OF THAT.
THAT'S THE PLACE WHERE IT'S GONNA HAVE THAT KIND OF IMPACT.
IS, YOU KNOW, IN CHOICES THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE WHEN WE ARE CASH LIMITED AND RESOURCE LIMITED, WHICH ONE DO WE PUT FIRST WHEN WE'VE GOT CONFLICTING LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR WHAT'S PRIORITIZED? YEAH.
UM, OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE A RANGE OF IMPACTS ON US.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ATTENTION ON FENTANYL TEST STRIPS.
UH, THAT ONE APPEARS TO BE PRETTY STUCK.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA GO ANYWHERE.
UM, THERE WAS ONE FROM, UH, ROIA THOMPSON ABOUT, UH, EXPANSION OF DEFINITIONS FOR, UH, POST-CONVICTION TESTING AND DNAI SAW THAT ONE HAD, UH, WAS ON THE HOUSE FLOOR FOR ITS THIRD READING, I THINK EARLIER THIS WEEK.
UM, THERE IS A SENATE COMPANION TO IT, BUT I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE WHERE IT WOULD HEAD.
I, IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY DIRECT IMPACT ON US.
UM, THE BILLS THAT ARE ABOUT TRACKING EVIDENCE, UM, BASICALLY WHAT THESE DO IS THEY ADD CHARGES THAT A VICTIM OR THEIR, UM, SURVIVORS HAVE RIGHT? TO SEE THE MOVEMENT OF THE SEXUAL ASSAULT TRACKING DATA IN THE, UH, STATE TRACKING SYSTEM.
UM, THERE WAS A LITTLE CONCERN IN THAT INITIALLY THAT THE LANGUAGE THEY HAD IN THERE WOULD'VE MADE A REAL PROBLEM FOR THAT SOFTWARE, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF TRACKING EVERYTHING THAT THEY WERE UNINTENTIONALLY, UM, INDICATING IN THERE.
BUT THEY'VE CHANGED THAT LANGUAGE.
THEY WERE VERY RESPONSIVE TO INPUT.
UM, SO THAT SEEMS LIKELY TO, TO PASS AND MOVE FORWARD.
UH, THERA PRODUCTS ONE HAS, UH, PASSED BOTH HOUSE AND SENATE AND IS WITH THE GOVERNOR.
AND THEN THE ONE I DON'T HAVE ON HERE IS SENATE BILL 9 9 1, WHICH CREATES THE STATE DISCLOSURE PORTAL, UM, WHICH IS REALLY A DIRECT REACTION TO THE COLON CASE BECAUSE HAD THIS, THE IDEA HERE IS A PORTAL THAT LABORATORIES CAN MOVE DOCUMENTS TO THAT THEN DEFENSE AND PROSECUTION, ALL THE STUFF'S THERE, IT'S ON THEM TO GO FIND IT.
HAD THAT EXISTED, COLON WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.
SO I'VE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT ONE.
THAT ONE PASSED OUT OF HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY, UH, WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION LAST NIGHT.
SO THAT NOW LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ANYTHING LEGISLATIVE? IT'S, IT'S BEEN A BIT OF A BUSY SESSION THIS YEAR.
NEW STATE MONEY FOR LABS THAT ALL DIED, UNFORTUNATELY, WE TRIED.
SO I GUESS THIS KIND OF GOES INTO OUR NEXT, UH, AGENDA ITEM.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 11 IS OUR CONSIDERATION TO APPROVE A PROPOSAL TO ADD PROPERTY AND EV EVIDENCE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO THE CORPORATION AND TO AUTHORIZE DR. STOUT TO NEGOTIATE ALL NECESSARY AGREEMENTS TO EXPAND OPERATIONS AND POSSIBLE AND ANY POSSIBLE RELATED ACTION.
SO, DR. STOUT HAS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD ABOUT PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE MANAGEMENT MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
HE'S DETAILED A WIDE RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN PURSUING A PLAN TO ADD THESE SERVICES TO THE CORPORATION.
ALTHOUGH WE STILL HAVE A LONG ROAD AHEAD, HE'S PRESENTED A COMPELLING ARGUMENT FOR WHY WE SHOULD TAKE THIS ON, AND HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET BUY-IN FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
HE HAS MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY, AND IS AT A POINT WHERE HE NEEDS OUR APPROVAL TO MOVE THESE NEGOTIATIONS TOWARD FINAL ACTION.
WE TOOK A SIMILAR VOTE SEVERAL YEARS AGO AS DR. STOUT BEGAN TO FINALIZE PLANS AND AGREEMENTS TO MOVE THE LAB TO ITS CURRENT LOCATION AT 500 JEFFERSON.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT ON THE BOARD AT THAT TIME, THAT PROCESS INCLUDED NEGOTIATING SEVERAL AGREEMENTS WITH THE CITY, HPD VENDORS, THE LANDLORD, AND OTHERS.
AND SO WE ANTICIPATE MANY OF THE SAME NEEDS HERE AT THE CONCLUSION OF DR.
STOUT'S PRESENTATION, WE WILL NEED TO TAKE A VOTE TO APPROVE THIS REQUEST, WHICH IS DESCRIBED MORE SPECIFICALLY IN AGENDA ITEM 11 A, WHICH I JUST READ.
UM, PLEASE NOTE, APPROVAL OF THIS AUTHORIZATION STILL MEANS DR. STOUT WILL PROVIDE US WITH REGULAR UPDATES AND BRING THOSE AGREEMENTS REQUIRING BOARD APPROVAL BACK TO THIS GROUP FOR CONSIDERATION.
SO, DR. STOUT, WILL YOU CONTINUE AND TALK ABOUT THIS, PLEASE? YEP.
I WAS, I WAS, AGAIN, I WAS LOOKING THROUGH NOTES ON THIS AND FINDING LOTS OF PLACES WHERE JACK CHRISTIE AND I HAD LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS WHEN HE WAS ON CITY COUNCIL.
UM, IT, IT GIVES, I'VE, I'VE, I HAVE BEEN
[00:50:01]
AT THIS ONE FOR YEARS.UM, BASICALLY AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, THE CONCEPT IS TO TRANSITION PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE MANAGEMENT FROM HPD TO US.
UM, THERE STILL IS I AND I, THE INTENTION IS TO BUILD THIS FOR THAT CONSIDERATION IS LOOKING AT THIS AS A CONSOLIDATED PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE MANAGEMENT FUNCTION FOR ALL OF HARRIS COUNTY.
UH, BUT THE CITY AND HPD ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING GOING WITH THIS NOW AND NOT WAITING FOR OTHER AGENCIES.
UM, LIKELY THIS WILL INVOLVE THE MOVEMENT OF ABOUT 86 PERSONNEL FROM HPD TO US.
THAT INCLUDES 35 CLASSIFIED SWORN OFFICERS.
SO WE WILL BE BACK WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF OFFICERS AGAIN.
UM, AND WE KNOW THIS IS CHALLENGING.
I THINK THERE ARE THINGS ABOUT THIS THAT WILL MAKE IT LESS CHALLENGING THIS TIME, INCLUDING WE LEARNED A LOT LAST TIME.
AND THERE ARE THINGS, I THINK, TO GO INTO THIS, THIS TIME TO MAKE IT SMOOTHER.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL FACILITY TO HOUSE THE HIGH RISK ITEMS, THE GUNS, THE DRUGS, THE CASH.
UM, THOSE ARE THE ITEMS THAT EVERYBODY WORRIES ABOUT THE EXTERNAL THREAT TO THEM.
REALLY THE THREAT IS INTERNAL AND DIVERSION.
THAT IS, THAT IS WHAT YOU USUALLY SEE IN THE NEWS, IS SOMEBODY WHO HANDLES THE STUFF AND IS ON THE STAFF IS DIVERTING IT.
BUT THE IDEA IS TO DESIGN A FACILITY TO MANAGE THE KNOWN HAZARDS OF THESE MATERIALS.
UH, WE WOULD ALSO ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE 1201 WASHINGTON PROPERTY ROOM THAT EXISTS NOW.
IT'S A GOOD FACILITY, HPD, THIS, THIS WAS OUT OF THE BROMWICH REPORT, ALTHOUGH THOSE MANY YEARS AGO, PROPERTY WAS A HUGE COMPONENT OF THAT.
THE CITY AND HPD, MUCH TO THEIR CREDIT, TOOK, TOOK IT SERIOUSLY.
THEY BUILT THAT PROPERTY FACILITY OVER THERE.
IT'S ABOUT 65,000 SQUARE FEET.
IT STILL IS A VERY GOOD FACILITY.
UM, IT IS OVER ITS CAPACITY AND THAT NEEDS WORK, BUT IT'S A VERY GOOD FACILITY.
UH, AND I HAVE ALSO HAD, AND IT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY SUBMITTED, WE WILL SEE HOW IT WORKS OUT, UH, THROUGH REPRESENTATIVE IN THE US HOUSE, LIZZIE FLETCHER.
THEY HAVE SUBMITTED, UH, YOU KNOW, THE OLD TERM IS AN EARMARK.
I GUESS THE NEWER TERM IS A CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING REQUEST FOR US, UH, BASICALLY AROUND THE IT AND DATA INFRASTRUCTURE FOR, UM, HOW WE WOULD DO SOME OF THIS PROPERTY STUFF.
SO THERE IS THE POTENTIAL THAT WE MAY HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT FEDERAL FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THIS ALONG AS WELL.
SO THAT'S KIND OF CONCEPTUALLY WHERE WE'RE AT.
UM, WHY DO THIS? WELL, YOU'VE HEARD ME GO ON NOW FOR YEARS.
THIS ISN'T A PROBLEM BECAUSE ANYBODY'S, YOU KNOW, NEFARIOUS OR INCOMPETENT.
IT IS HUGE PROBLEM EVERYWHERE.
AND ONE OF THE SINGLE BIGGEST TOOLS IN THIS IS BEING ABLE TO MAKE THOSE CORRECTIONS AT THE POINT THAT SOMEBODY'S TAGGING STUFF IN.
I MEAN, TH THIS HAS BEEN, AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I GIVE THIS SHTICK EVERYWHERE.
THE SINGLE BIGGEST REASON BLINDS GET IDENTIFIED, EVERYTHING WAS SPELLED RIGHT.
AND I COULD READ THE HANDWRITING, NO WAY A COP COULD HAVE DONE THAT.
BUT REALLY THERE'S A HUGE TRAGEDY THERE OF THE FACT THAT CORRECT EVIDENCE IS SO RARE, IT STICKS OUT.
UM, THERE IS A NEW ACCREDITATION PROGRAM AVAILABLE ON THIS.
UH, ERICA ZEC, OUR FORMER QUALITY DIRECTOR, AND I WORKED WITH A NAB AND THEIR WORKING GROUPS TO SET THIS UP.
THEY JUST LAUNCHED THAT EARLIER THIS YEAR.
WE WILL, AND I THINK JACKIE MAY MENTION ABOUT IT, UM, REGARDLESS WHAT HAPPENS IN ANY OF THE REST OF THIS, WE WILL GET OUR INTERNAL EVIDENCE HANDLING AND ACCREDITED TO THAT WITHIN HFSC.
THAT WILL GIVE US, UM, SOME KNOWLEDGE AND A HEAD START ON THIS.
UM, WE'LL PROBABLY DO THAT IN THE FALL, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THERE IS A, AT SCALE, UM, FULLY FORMED ACCREDITATION PROGRAM UNDER ONE OF THE MAJOR ACCREDITING BODIES.
CAN'T QUITE MAKE YOU FLY FLOOR, CAN YOU
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANNA CAPITALIZE ON.
AND YES, IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EVIDENCE, IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF EVIDENCE HANDLING WILL PAY ENORMOUS DIVIDENDS THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.
BUT WE KNOW, YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE CLEAR INEFFICIENCIES IN HOW EVIDENCE GETS HANDLED RIGHT NOW.
AGAIN, I'M NOT, I DON'T OFFER THIS AS A CRITICISM.
EVIDENCE IS SOMETHING THAT IS BASICALLY
[00:55:01]
COUNTERINTUITIVE TO WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT NEEDS TO DO.THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY IN HERE TO MAKE HPDS LIFE EASIER AND EXTRACT SOME EFFICIENCIES THAT THEN BECOME RESOURCES THAT WE CAN REPROGRAM INTO THE LABORATORY DIRECTOR CROW.
BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ON THIS ROAD WITH YOU FOR A WHILE NOW TOO A WHILE.
UM, AND I KNOW WE'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU AND JACK WERE TALKING ABOUT THINGS.
AND MAYBE THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY SIMPLISTIC QUESTION, BUT WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE GENERAL OBJECTION TO DOING WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING ALL THESE YEARS? WHAT DOES HPD FEEL THAT IT'S TAKING POWER AWAY? I MEAN, WHAT NOPE, ACTUALLY, HHPD IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
THAT'S WHAT I, THAT'S WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
SO WHERE, WHERE IS THE WALL? WHAT IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM? I THINK, UM, AS I HAVE WORKED THROUGH THIS ONE, IT HAS BEEN, THIS WILL BE A BIG CHALLENGE.
IT WILL TAKE YEARS FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.
THIS, THIS IS MAYBE NOT QUITE AS BIG AS PULLING THE LABORATORY OUT OF HPD, BUT IT'S, IT'S CLOSE.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S NOT SO MUCH RESISTANCE AS IT IS A RECOGNITION OF THE CHALLENGES OF THIS, AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT ALL THE PIECES IN PLACE.
I THINK HPD DOES, HPD DOES, AND THE CITY, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IN PARTICULAR, UM, I THINK IT HAS TAKEN TIME TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE OVER TIME THERE WILL BE EFFICIENCIES THAT BECOME RESOURCES FOR THE LABORATORY UPFRONT, IT'S GONNA COST MONEY THERE, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME COST.
WE'VE GOTTA SET UP A LEASE FOR THE FACILITY.
AND SO FINDING THE, THE CONSENSUS AND THE WILL TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THESE CHANGES HAS TAKEN SOME TIME TO GET THERE.
UM, I THINK A LOT OF IT HAS WATCHED TO SEE
SO I THINK THAT HELPS GIVE EVERYBODY CONFIDENCE THAT, YES, I'M SERIOUS ABOUT THIS.
YES, WE CAN GET EVERYBODY TO THE TABLE TO TALK ABOUT DOING THIS.
WE'VE SPENT THE LAST YEAR WORKING BETWEEN THE DA'S OFFICE, HPD AND US, UM, AND WE HAVE A REGULAR WEEKLY MEETING NOW TO DEAL WITH DISPOSITION ISSUES ON DRUGS.
I THINK THAT HAS ALSO HELPED GIVE PEOPLE CONFIDENCE THAT YES, ALL OF THE PE, ALL OF THE ENTITIES THAT HAVE TO BE INVOLVED WITH THIS ARE SERIOUS ABOUT MAKING IT HAPPEN.
AND I THINK IT'S BEEN LESS A WALL AND MORE A WANTING TO SEE SOME OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN BEFORE THEY TAKE ACTION.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M COMING NOW WITH THIS, IS I THINK ALL OF THE COMPONENTS ARE THERE THAT PEOPLE SEE THIS IS A VIABLE IDEA AND THAT EVERYBODY'S INTERESTED IN MAKING IT HAPPEN.
THERE IS, WOULD YOU SAY IT'S THE MAYOR, WHICH OBVIOUSLY BE THE NEW ONE? WHOEVER THE NEW MAYOR IS, THE CHIEF OF POLICE.
AND YOU THAT HAVE TO BE THE THREE I THINK SO.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S THE BIG, THE BIG COMPONENTS OF IT.
THE, THE, UM, KIM OOG, THE DA HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ACTUALLY.
UM, MAYOR'S OFFICE, KIM OOG, UH, PDO AND HPD ALL GAVE ME LETTERS OF SUPPORT TO REPRESENTATIVE LIZZIE FLETCHER FOR THE EARMARK ON THIS.
SO, I MEAN, THEY'RE ALL VERY SUPPORTIVE.
I WHAT TYPE OF TIME HORIZON ARE YOU LOOKING AT FOR THIS SAY, BEST CASE SCENARIO? YEP.
SO BEST CASE SCENARIO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND I'VE TALKED A LOT WITH MAYOR'S OFFICE AND ANDY ICKEN ABOUT THIS.
IF WE COULD BE AT A PLACE WHERE CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS THE LEASE ON THE NEW FACILITY HERE BEFORE THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR, UM, WHICH WOULD MEAN WE HAVE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CONSIDER ON A LEASE BEFORE THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.
WE PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT A YEAR'S WORTH OF CONSTRUCTION, UM, IN THAT FACILITY WITH THE CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATION.
THERE'S ALSO A WINDOW TO DEAL WITH, UM, SOME OF THE LABOR NEGOTIATIONS ON BOTH THE MEET AND CONFER AND THE HOPE CONTRACT BECAUSE THERE'S BOTH CIVILIAN AND, UH, CLASSIFIED OFFICERS IN THIS.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S A, THE TIMING WORKS OUT NICELY TO WORK THOSE INTO THOSE UNION CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS THAT WE'D NEED FOR THE TRANSITION OF PERSONNEL.
UM, SO YOU COULD SEE WE GET THE LEASE IN PLACE GOT ABOUT A YEAR'S WORTH OF CONSTRUCTION.
IN THE INTERIM, WHILE WE'RE WORKING ON CONSTRUCTION, WE CAN DEAL WITH THE GROUNDWORK FOR, UM, PERSONNEL TRANSITIONS.
[01:00:01]
PROBABLY ARE SOME PERSONNEL THAT WE CAN TRANSITION EARLIER TO HELP WITH LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR ULTIMATELY MOVING DRUGS AND GUNS INTO THE NEW FACILITY.UM, ALSO THE GROUNDWORK OF ALL OF THE THINGS LIKE IT SYSTEMS, I MEAN, WITH SOME LUCK, UH, WE GET THIS EARMARK AND THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE FUNDS ABOUT THE FIRST OF NEXT CALENDAR YEAR.
UM, SO THEN WE'VE GOT ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON ALL OF THESE IT SYSTEMS THAT ARE GONNA BE IMPORTANT IN THIS.
UM, IT'S NOT THAT WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT THAT, BUT IT SURE WILL MAKE IT EASIER.
UM, SO YOU COULD SEE THE TRANSITION OF THIS HAPPENING OVER ABOUT THE NEXT 24 TO 36 MONTHS OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE AND THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THINGS, WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT THE SAME TIMELINE.
IF YOU LOOK BACK HISTORICALLY AT THE TRANSITION OF THE LABORATORIES TO HFSC, THERE WAS ABOUT A TWO YEAR PERIOD THERE WHERE THERE WAS A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION AND NEGOTIATIONS OF ILAS AND FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENTS AND PERSONNEL AND ALL OF THAT BEFORE WE ACTUALLY TOOK THAT ACTUAL RESPONSIBILITY ON, UM, APRIL 3RD, 2014.
SO IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE VERY SIMILAR, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING SOMETHING THAT'S A SIMILAR SCALE.
UM, I THINK THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN COMPRESS BECAUSE WE LEARNED A LOT IN THE TRANSITION IN THE CREATION OF HFSC, UH, BUT IT'S STILL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING SMALL ABOUT THIS.
DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? I GUESS MY CONCERN, PETER, IS THE POLITICS OF IT.
BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE END OF THE YEAR MM-HMM
AND WE'RE GONNA END UP WITH, I THINK SEVEN NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, A NEW MAYOR WHO WILL THEN APPOINT NEW STAFF.
SO MY, I'M NOT SURE THE MINDSET OF THE COUNCIL WILL BE E EITHER, YOU KNOW, LET'S NOT DEAL WITH THIS MM-HMM.
BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA BE HERE, OR TO PUSH IT BACK EARLIER IN THE FALL TO SO THAT THEY DO FEEL THERE IS THAT POSSIBILITY THEY HAVE SOME BUY-IN, BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT'S JUST GONNA GO, YOU'RE GONNA SPEND AN AWFUL LOT OF TIME AND THEY'RE GONNA, THEY'RE JUST GONNA TABLE IT AND SAY, YEAH.
LIKE I SAY, TALKING WITH ANDY, I THINK WE'VE GOT A WINDOW HERE IN THE SUMMER, I'M SORRY, UH, TALKING WITH ANDY, I THINK WE'VE GOT A WINDOW HERE IN THE, THIS SUMMER, UM, TO GET, I MEAN, ANDY'S THE QUESTION TOO.
I MEAN, WHO KNOWS IF HE'LL BE HERE WITH A NEW YEP.
I APPRECIATE, I MEAN, ALL OF THEM.
I, I THINK IF, IF WE CAN MOVE THIS THROUGH THE LEASE STUFF THROUGH THIS SUMMER, BECAUSE THAT REALLY, IF WE HAVE A LEASE THAT'S GOING TO COMMIT EVERYBODY TO A 25 YEAR ARC, UM, SO IT'S GOING TO BE AN ANCHOR INTO A NEW ADMINISTRATION.
IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN THIS SUMMER, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, IT PROBABLY MOVES TO NEXT FALL BEFORE WE WOULD BE BACK IN A POSITION WITH NEW COUNCIL, NEW MAYOR, NEW PROBABLY NEW CHIEF, UM, AND TAKE SOME TIME.
UM, I THINK GIVEN THE LANDSCAPE OF WHERE WE'RE AT CURRENTLY ON THE MAYOR'S RACE, I, AND YOU MAY, AND YOU'LL END, YOU MAY END UP WITH THE NEW CHIEF OF POLICE.
I MEAN THE WHOLE LANDSCAPE'S GONNA CHANGE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
SO HEARING NONE, LET'S PROCEED TO A VOTE.
UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE DR.
STOUT'S PROPOSAL TO ADD PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE MANAGEMENT TO THE CORPORATION SERVICES AND AUTHORIZE HIM TO NEGOTIATE THE NECESSARY AGREEMENTS TO EXECUTE THIS TRANSITION? SO MOVED.
DIRECTOR HUFF MADE THE MOTION IS SECOND.
MOTION CARRIES SEVEN YEARS INTO THIS.
LET THE BOARD, LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR UPDATES.
IS THIS WHERE WE ARE DOWNTOWN? YOU KNOW, I, I I, I SPEND SO MUCH TIME TALKING WITH ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I JUST NEVER REALLY THINK ABOUT, JUST WISH DISTRICTS.
LET'S MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 12.
UM, UM, IS THERE ANYTHING, OKAY,
[01:05:01]
FROM MS. JACQUELINE MORRELL, OUR INTERIM QUALITY DIRECTOR, INCLUDING AN OVERVIEW OF THE BLIND QUALITY CONTROL PROGRAM, TEXAS FORENSIC SCIENCE, UH, COMMISSION DISCLOSURES AND TESTIMONY METRICS.HOW ARE YOU? OH, NO, IT'S OFF.
UM, AS MENTIONED, MY FIRST TOPIC FOR THIS PRESENTATION IS GOING TO BE OUR BLIND QUALITY CONTROL PROGRAM.
AND I'M ALSO GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF UPCOMING AND PRESENTATIONS WE'VE DONE IN THESE LAST TIME THAT I CAME AND PRESENTED.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH, WE COMPLETED OUR SUBMISSION, SUBMISSION GOALS FOR THE BQC PROGRAM, AND WE ALSO COMPLETED THEM IN THE MONTH OF APRIL.
NOW, FOR OUR QUALITY UPDATES THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT, UH, IN THE MONTH OF MARCH, WE PRESENTED DR. STOUT, MS. ERICA EC, AND MYSELF PRESENTED TO THE AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND POLICE ADVISORY AGENCY, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FORENSIC SCIENCE, SORRY, THAT'S A VERY LONG NAME, TO THEIR QUALITY SPECIALIST ADVISORY, UM, GROUP.
AND THIS WAS A TWO DAY PRESENTATION WHERE THE FIRST PHASE, THE FIRST PART OF THE PRESENTATION WAS GIVEN BY DR. STOUT, WHERE HE GAVE AN OVERVIEW OF OUR BLIND QUALITY CONTROL PROGRAM.
HE GAVE AN INTRO, INTRODUCTION TO THIS AND THEN ALSO TALKED ABOUT HSCS HISTORY ON THE SECOND PORTION, THE SECOND DAY, UH, FOR THIS PRESENTATION, UH, MS. MS EK AND MYSELF, WE PRESENTED, UH, WE CONTINUED ON WHERE HE LEFT OFF IN THE BQC PROGRAM.
SO WE, UH, JUST KIND OF PRESENTED ON THE CHALLENGES OF IMPLEMENTING THIS PROGRAM AND THE LESSONS LEARNED.
AND WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT OTHER DIFFERENT QUALITY PROGRAMS THAT WE ALSO HAVE HERE AT HFSE, WHICH IS THE OSAC IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT AND THE TRANSCRIPT REVIEW.
WE ALSO TOUCHED UP ON HOW TO IMPLEMENT A QUALITY CULTURE.
I WILL SAY, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT THIS PRESENTATION WAS DONE IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT, UH, SADLY TO SAY WE DID NOT GET TO FLY TO NEW ZEALAND OR AUSTRALIA
I DID GET, I DID THINK THERE WAS A COOL TRIP INVOLVED, BUT NONETHELESS, THAT THEY WERE VERY RECEPTIVE.
WE HAD A REALLY GOOD AUDIENCE AND, UH, THEY HAD REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK AND TONS OF QUESTIONS THAT WHILE WE WERE PRESENTING, DR.
STAUD DID AMAZING AT TRYING TO ADDRESS THEM.
SO I FAIR TO SAY THAT I THINK HE'S LIKE THE NERD ROCK STAR IN THAT SIDE OF THE WORLD BY THE END OF THAT PRESENTATION.
SO, O ONE THING I'LL ADD ON THAT PART OF THE REASON THEY WERE SO INTERESTED IN US IS ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, UM, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, THAT THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF SHARED SERVICES BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.
THEY HAD A REPORT BASICALLY AS LARGE AND AS IMPACTFUL AS THE NAS REPORT COME OUT.
THAT WAS BASED ON, UM, THEIR VERSION OF THE BROMWICH REPORT.
UH, IT WAS VERY CRITICAL OF MANY OF THE SERVICES IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.
AND SO THEY ARE UNDERGOING A, UM, NOT TOO DISSIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCE TO THE FORMATION OF HFSC, UH, LOTS OF REALLY PROBLEMATIC THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED THERE.
AND SO THEY REACHED OUT TO US 'CAUSE THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED IN HOW THIS HAS EVOLVED HERE.
UM, SO IT WAS A VERY ENGAGED AUDIENCE BECAUSE THEY ARE FACING SOME REALLY SERIOUS ISSUES THERE.
UM, THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE, THE, BASICALLY THE BASIS FOR THAT, THAT WORKSHOP.
YES, THEY WERE VERY RECEPTIVE AND THEY'VE BEEN, UM, REACHING OUT TO ASK FOR SOME INFORMATION, SOME DOCUMENTS FOR US TO SHARE WITH THEM.
SO, UM, WE ALSO HAVE AN UPCOMING PRESENTATION.
UH, WE HAVE A GROUP FROM HFSC THAT ARE, IS GOING TO PRESENT AT THE AF I, WHICH IS THE ASSOCIATION OF FIREARMS AND TOLL MARKS, UM, CONFERENCE THAT'S BEING HELD AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
THEY'RE GONNA PRESENT ON HOW TO IMPLEMENT A BLIND TESTING AND BLIND VERIFICATION PROGRAM IN THE FIREARM SECTION, JUST LIKE THE ONE WE HAVE HERE AT HFSC.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE AMY GRIMALDI, WHICH IS OUR, UM, LSS WITH THE LEAN SIX SIGMA PROJECT ENGINEER, UH, DONNA OLEY, OUR, UH, FIREARM SECTION MANAGER AND TWO MEMBERS OF THE QUALITY DIVISION TEAM, KALEN HUNT AND MADDIE NEWMAN.
THEY ARE GONNA BE PRESENTING AT THIS FOUR HOUR WORKSHOP.
UM, THEY'RE REALLY EXCITED AND FULLY PREPARED FOR THIS UPCOMING WORKSHOP.
SO BEFORE I MOVE ON TO MY NEXT TOPIC, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? SO MOVING ALONG, I WANTED TO UPDATE THE BOARD ON INTERNAL AUDIT UPDATES.
UH, WE COMPLETED IN THE MONTH OF MARCH AND APRIL FOUR AUDITS, THE MULTIMEDIA, THE LADEN PRINTS, THE FIREARMS, AND THE TOXICOLOGY SECTION FOR THE FIREARM SECTION.
WE DID HAVE ONE NON-CONFORMANCE THAT WE FOUND AND IT ACTUALLY UNFORTUNATELY BECAME A DISCLOSURE.
SO I WILL TOUCH ON AND EXPLAIN THAT FURTHER IN MY NEXT SLIDES.
UH, WE AT THE MOMENT HAVE THE CRIME SCENE AND THE BIOLOGY
[01:10:01]
SECTION AUDITS CONCURRENT, RUNNING CONCURRENTLY RIGHT NOW.AND THEY ARE SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED NEXT WEEK.
WE ALSO HAVE, AT THE LAST, LAST BIT OF THIS MONTH, WE HAVE THE CEASE DRUGS AS OUR LAST, UH, TECHNICAL SECTION UNDERGOING THAT NEEDS TO, UH, BE, THAT NEEDS THEIR INTERNAL AUDIT TO BE COMPLETED.
START MENTIONED, WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR CLIENT SERVICES CLIENT MANAGEMENT SECTION IN ORDER TO PREPARE THEM FOR THE A AND A B PROPERTY AND ACCREDITATION, UM, PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE MANAGEMENT ACCREDITATION PROGRAM.
AT THIS PHASE, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO PRESENT 'CAUSE AT THE MOMENT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING A GAP ASSESSMENT.
IN THIS GAP ASSESSMENT, WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT ALL OF THE A NAB PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE REQUIREMENTS, WHAT THEY REQUIRE.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR POLICIES AT THE CSEM SOPS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR SECURITY MANUALS AND SAFETY MANUALS TO SEE HOW WE FARE AGAINST THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
AND ONCE WE HAVE COMPLETED OUR GAP ASSESSMENT, I'LL HAVE A BETTER PLAN AND I CAN SHOW YOU WHAT IS OUR PLAN AND HARDER TO ACHIEVE THEM.
BUT I DID SUBMIT THE APPLICATION UPON SUBMISSION OF THE APPLICATION.
WE HAVE A ONE YEAR, UH, TIME PERIOD IN ORDER TO CONDUCT THE GAP ASSESSMENT AND CONDUCT ALL THE REQUIREMENTS, UM, BEFORE WE CAN HAVE AN ONSITE, UM, AN ONSITE ASSESSMENT.
I, UH, I WILL ALSO AT THE NEXT MEETING WILL UPDATE THE BOARD ON THE LAST THREE, UM, THREE SECTIONS THAT ARE PENDING FOR OUR INTERNAL AUDITS.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I MOVE ON TO MY NEXT TOPIC? NOPE.
SO MY NEXT TOPIC IS ON DISCLOSURES.
SO WE HAD THREE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS THAT WERE DISCLOSED TO BOTH TFSC AND TO A AND A B.
OUR FIRST DISCLOSURE IS IN THE CEASE DRUG SECTION, CASES WERE ANALYZED USING THE INCORRECT SAMPLE VIALS, WHICH CAUSED THE RESULTS TO BE IMPROPERLY REPORTED.
AS SOON AS THE SECTION UM, DISCOVERED THIS, THEY DID A RETROACTIVE AUDIT WHERE THEY IDENTIFIED THAT 18 CASES WERE AFFECTED BY THIS INCORRECT SAMPLE VIAL, UM, INSTRUMENT ANALYSIS.
AND THEY IMMEDIATELY RECALLED THE EVIDENCE AND REANALYZED THIS AND RE AND REANALYZED THE EVIDENCE.
ALL OF THE RESULTS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED AGREED WITH THE NOW WITH THE ALL OF THE RESULT, THE RE-ANALYSIS RESULTS, UH, AGREED WITH THE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED RESULTS.
NOW, THESE CASES WERE ANALYZED UNDER THE DECISION AS DECISION POINT ASSAY.
THIS IS AN INSTRUMENTAL USE IN ORDER TO DIFFERENTIATE HEMP AND MARIJUANA.
AS A SMALL RECAP, IN 2019, THE TEXAS LEGISLATION WAS CHANGED.
UM, THEY CHANGED THE DEFINITION OF MARIJUANA TO EXCLUDE HEMP, BASICALLY MAKING IT NOT CONTROLLED.
UM, SO IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT MANY LABORATORIES ALSO SHARE THE SAME SENTIMENT AS DR. STOUT, UM, ON THE TOPIC OF HEMP.
SO THIS, UH, MAKES THE LABORATORIES NEED TO USE THIS, UM, TYPE OF ME, UM, INSTRUMENTAL METHODOLOGY IN ORDER TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN HEMP AND MARIJUANA.
UH, SO WHEN THESE 18 CASES WERE WERE ORIGINALLY REPORTED, THEY WERE REPORTED AS MARIJUANA.
ONCE THEY WERE PROPERLY REANALYZED, THEY WERE STILL WERE IDENTIFIED AS MARIJUANA AND REPORTED AS MARIJUANA.
UM, SO THE C STROKE SECTION TOOK A LOOK AT THIS PROCESS AND SAW THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF SAMPLES ARE ANALYZED AT THE SAME TIME UNDER THE INSTRUMENT, THEY SAW THAT THEY NEEDED A VERIFICATION STEP TO BE IMPLEMENTED BEFORE THE SAMPLES ARE ANALYZED.
SO NOW BEFORE ANY BATCH GETS ANALYZED IN THIS INSTRUMENT, THEY NEED AN INDEPENDENT ANALYST TO COME AND CHECK THAT THE SAMPLE VIAL NUMBERS IN THE INSTRUMENT ARE CORRECTLY POSITIONED IN CONCORDANT WITH THE VALUES THAT WERE ENTERED INTO THE INSTRUMENTAL SEQUENCE LOG AND THAT THIS WAS CORRECTLY TRANSCRIBED FROM THE MANUAL, UH, LOGBOOK.
SO THERE'S THREE AREAS WHERE THIS VERIFICATION PROCESS LOOKS BEFORE THEY PROCEED WITH ANALYSIS.
I ALSO WANT TO ADD AS A SIDE NOTE, THAT THE 18 CASES THAT WERE REANALYZED HAD THIS VERIFICATION STEP IMPLEMENTED.
SO THEY IMPLEMENTED THIS IMMEDIATELY, AND NOW THEY'RE USING THIS CONCURRENTLY IN EVERY SINGLE, UM, BATCH ANALYZED UNDER THIS METHOD.
FOR OUR SECOND DISCLOSURE, THIS WAS IN THE FIREARM SECTION.
SO AS I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, THIS WAS DISCOVERED DURING THE INTERNAL AUDIT.
UH, ONE OF THE TASKS THAT WE COMPLETE IN INTERNAL AUDIT IS TO CONDUCT, TO CHECK THE SECTIONS, EVIDENCE HANDLING AND EVIDENCE LOCATIONS.
RIGHT? WE WANNA CHECK THAT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THAT THE CHAIN OF CUSTODYS ARE BOTH PHYSICALLY AND ELECTRONICALLY ACCURATE.
SO WHEN THIS TASK WAS COMPLETED AND THEY WERE AUDITING ONE OF THE FIREARMS EVIDENCE VAULTS, THEY NOTICED THAT THEY COULD NOT LOCATE THIS P OR THIS ITEM OF EVIDENCE.
SO THE FIREARMS SECTION DID AN IN-DEPTH SEARCH.
THEY LOOKED AT ALL OTHER, UH, SECTION LOCATIONS AND THEY EVEN RECALLED EVIDENCE THAT WAS ANALYZED AROUND THE SAME TIME PERIOD AS THAT EVIDENCE TO, IN THE HOPES THAT THAT EVIDENCE WAS MISPLACED
[01:15:01]
IN ANOTHER CONTAINER.AND UNFORTUNATELY, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO LOCATE THIS, THIS, UH, EVIDENCE CONTAINED TEST FIRES THAT WERE CREATED FROM AN OFFICER'S FIREARM AND THAT WAS PART OF AN OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING WITH THE HELP OF OUR LEGAL COUNSEL TEAM, THEY RESEARCHED THAT HELPED US RESEARCH THIS CASE.
AND THIS CASE WAS AS WHAT THEY WERE REFER AS A NO BILL, MEANING THAT THE GRAND JURY DID NOT ACCEPT THE CHARGES BROUGHT ONTO THE DEFENDANT.
SO THIS CASE IS NO LONGER ACTIVE.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE REQUESTER AND TRY TO SEE IF THEY STILL WANT US TO PROCEED WITH THE ANALYSIS.
AND IF THEY DO, THEN WE'LL CONTACT THE OFFICER FOR, TO HAVE THEM, UM, SUBMIT BACK THE FIREARM SO WE CAN RECREATE THE TEST FIRES THAT WE'RE MISPLACED.
THUS, THE, THE FIREARM SECTION TOOK THIS SERIOUSLY.
SO THEY DID A RISK ASSESSMENT LAST WEEK.
THEY JUST COMPLETED IT WHERE THEY KIND OF HAD A HIGH LEVEL LOOK AT THEIR EVIDENCE HANDLING PROCESSES AND TRIED.
AND NOW THEY'RE PLANNING ON WHAT CHANGES TO IMPLEMENT ON THEIR END IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.
IT JUST HAPPENED LAST WEEK, SO, SO THAT THEY'RE STILL IN THE PLANNING PHASE FOR THAT.
OUR THIRD AND LAST DISCLOSURE WAS IN THE CRIME SCENE UNIT.
THIS, UM, FOR THIS DISCLOSURE, THE ORIGINAL HANDWRITTEN NOTES, UH, FOR THREE CRIME SCENE CASES COULD NOT BE LOCATED.
THIS HANDWRITTEN CASE NOTES ARE REFERRED BY THE CSU SECTION AS CASE PACKETS.
THIS CASE PACKETS ARE CONFORMED OF DIFFERENT WORKSHEETS AND FORMS THAT ARE FILLED OUT CONTEMPORANEOUSLY WITH THE OBSERVATIONS AND THE PROCESSES THAT ARE COMPLETING THAT ARE COMPLETED AT THE TIME WHILE THEY'RE PROCESSING A SCENE.
UH, ONCE THOSE OBSERVATIONS ARE RECORDED, THEY BRING THIS BACK INTO THE OFFICE AND THEN THEY, THEY TRANSCRIBE THIS TECHNICAL AND ALL OBSERVATIONS AND PROCESSES THAT THEY COMPLETED AT THE SCENE ONTO A NARRATIVE FORMAT REPORT.
AND THAT REPORT GOES THROUGH A, THROUGH A TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW WHERE THIS INFORMATION IN THE REPORT IS VERIFIED AGAINST THE ORIGINAL OBSERVATIONS.
IN THIS CASE, FOR TWO CASES, WE HAD A SITUATION WHERE THE DRAFT REPORT HAD BEEN MADE.
HOWEVER, WHEN IT, HOWEVER THE, THE CASE NOTES WERE MISPLACED AND WERE NOT ABLE TO BE FOUND IN ORDER FOR US TO CONDUCT THIS THOROUGH REVIEW AND BE ABLE TO RELEASE THE RESULT BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ABLE TO SUBSTANTIATE THAT THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE REPORTS IT'S ACCURATE, IT COULD CONTAIN ERRORS OR IT COULD HAVE INACCURATE INFORMATION.
IN AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, WE DECIDED TO NOT RELEASE THOSE REPORTS.
WE THOUGHT THAT RELEASING REPORTS WITH INACCURATE INFORMATION NOT ONLY WOULD PUT HSCS INTEGRITY INTO QUESTION, BUT IT WOULD ALSO PUT THE CSI'S INTEGRITY INTO QUESTION AS WELL.
SO WE DID RELEASE, WE DIDN'T RELEASE THOSE REPORTS.
WE RELEASED AN ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT THAT DENOTED TO THE READER A HIGH SUMMARY LEVEL OF WHAT HAPPENED AND REFERRED THEM TO THIS CORRECTIVE ACTION REPORT IN CASE THEY, THEY NEEDED OR WANTED MORE INFORMATION FOR THE THIRD CASE.
THE CASE NOTES WERE MISPLACED, HOWEVER, BEFORE THEY WERE MISPLACED, THEY WERE SCANNED AND ATTACHED TO THE CASE RECORD.
SO THEY WERE ABLE TO CONDUCT THE TECHNICAL REVIEW AND RELEASE THE REPORTS FOR THIS SITUATION.
NOW THIS ONE WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, THIS DISCLOSURE BECAUSE TYPICALLY WE DISCLOSE TO BOTH TFS, CNA AND AB B WHEN WE FOUND INACCURACIES SOONER REPORTS.
BUT IN THIS SITUATION, BECAUSE WE WEREN'T ABLE TO REPORT THESE, WE STILL, AGAIN, IN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, WE LET THEM KNOW OF THIS SITUATION AND ALSO TO SHOW THEM ALL OF THE CHANGES THE CRIME SCENE HAS DONE ON THEIR END IN ORDER TO ORGANIZE AND TRACK AND HAVE A, THIS COLOR CODED TRACKING SYSTEM WHERE THEY KNOW WHERE EACH CASE FILE AND ALL THESE CASE PACKETS ARE AT EACH TIME IN THE REVIEW PROCESS.
SO BEFORE I CONTINUE ON TO MY NEXT TOPIC, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS IN THESE DISCLOSURES? SO MY NEXT TOPIC IS, UH, TESTIMONY MONITORING.
SO FOR THE MONTHS OF JANUARY THROUGH APRIL, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 46 STAFF MEMBERS WHO WENT TO COURT 86 TIMES FROM THESE 46 STAFF MEMBERS.
43 ACTUALLY TESTIFIED COLLECTIVELY A TOTAL OF 70.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM MY SLIDE FROM THE FIRST GRAPH, WE TRACK THE NUMBER OF TESTIMONIES CONDUCTED BY MONTH VERSUS THE TIME GOING TO COURT BECAUSE IT'S OUR ACCREDITATION REQUIREMENT THAT STAFF MEMBERS THAT TESTIFY, UM, THEY NEED TO BE MONITORED AT LEAST ONCE PER CALENDAR YEAR.
AND THAT'S WHY WE TRACK THE NUMBER OF TESTIMONIES AND IT'S CONTINGENT TO THE NEXT GRAPH IN MY SLIDE, WHICH WE ALSO TRACK THE NUMBER, THE PERCENTAGE OF THE PEOPLE TESTIFIED VERSUS ON MONITOR FOR, SORRY, SORRY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT TESTIFIED THAT TESTIFIED THAT WERE MONITORED
[01:20:01]
VERSUS THE ONES THAT WERE UNMONITORED FROM THE LAST TIME I PRESENTED.WE DE WE DID SEE A RISE FROM 55% TO NOW IT'S 67%.
UM, AS I'VE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED FROM MY QUALITY PERSPECTIVE, I WILL LOVE THIS TO BE 100%, BUT I, WE, WE, WE REALLY KNOW ALL OF THE TIME THAT GOES INTO TESTIFYING AND HOW HARD IT IS SOMETIMES TO FIND SOMEBODY ELSE TO COME WITH YOU TO COURT.
AND THAT CAN BE SHOWCASED IN MY NEXT SLIDE WHERE IN FURTHER THE MONTHS OF JANUARY THROUGH APRIL, WE, THIS 46 STAFF MEMBERS WAITED IN COURT A TOTAL OF 282 TOTAL HOURS FROM THOSE 43 THAT GOT TO TESTIFIED.
THE TIME SPENT AT THE STAND WAS 59 HOURS AND THERE WAS 223 OF IDLE TIME.
BASICALLY THEY WERE WAITING BEFORE THEY GOT TO THE STAND TO TESTIFY.
I DID GO AHEAD AND SPLICE OFF THE 223 HOURS OF THE IDLE TIME INTO THOSE BY WAITING HOURS BY SECTION IN THE SECOND GRAPH IN MY SLIDE.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, CRIME SCENE IS LEADING WITH 97 HOURS JUST STAYING AT COURT.
UM, THE FIREARM SECTION IS THE SECOND ONE LEADING WITH 36 HOURS AND SHORTLY BEHIND IS THE BIOLOGY SECTION.
BUT I THINK THIS IS, THIS KIND OF SHOWCASES ALL OF THE TIME COMMITMENTS BY ALL OF THE SECTIONS THAT HAVE TO WAIT IN COURT AND UM, AND AGAIN, JUST ALSO SHOWCASES HOW HARD IT IS SOMETIMES TO GET ANOTHER PERSON WHO IS COMPLETING WORK AT THE LAB TO COME WITH YOU.
I KNOW AT THE LAST MEETING THERE WAS QUESTIONS OF HOW THIS DATA COMPARED WITH OTHER YEARS AND IT WAS A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
SO WE'VE COMPILED THAT DATA AND I HAVE IT HERE IN MY NEXT SLIDE WHERE AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS HOW THE DATA FARES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS SINCE 2018 TO WHAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY.
SO FOR 2018 WE HAD A TOTAL OF 474 HOURS THAT THAT'S THE TIME OF WAITING AND TESTIFYING ON THE STAND.
AND WE SAW AN INCREASE IN 2019 WITH 595 TOTAL HOURS.
WE SAW A HUGE DECREASE IN 2020 OF COURSE DUE TO COVID, BUT IT DID, YOU KNOW, 2021, IT RAMPED UP ALMOST BACK TO NORMAL AS TO HOW IT WAS IN 2019 WITH 557 TOTAL HOURS.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE START SEEING A RISE IN 2022 WITH 619 TOTAL HOURS.
AND I DID GO AHEAD AND INCLUDE, UH, 2023 AS A POINT OF REFERENCE OF HOW IT MEASURES, UH, WITH PREVIOUS YEARS.
NOW WITH ALL THIS, NOW WITH THE DATA THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, I KNOW LAST MEETING BASED ON THE DATA WE'RE LIKE, WELL IF WE EXTRAPOLATE THIS'LL BE 700 HOURS WITH THE CURRENT DATA, IF THIS CONTINUES GROWING, UH, WE CAN FORESEE MAYBE 800 TO 900 HOUR TOTAL HOURS SPENT AT COURT BY THE END OF 2023.
SO WE'LL KEEP TRACKING THIS AND SHOWING HOW IT FARES WITH THE OTHERS TO PUT QUESTION.
SO FOR A RELATIVE PERCENTAGE ON THAT, THAT'S ABOUT A 40% HIKE OVER LAST YEAR.
IS THAT BY CALENDAR YEAR OR FISCAL YEAR? CALENDAR YEAR.
SO WE'RE ALREADY HALFWAY WHERE WE WERE IN 2019, ALMOST HALFWAY.
AND WE'RE NOT EVEN HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR.
SORRY, THAT'S WHAT I MEANT TO SAY.
AND, AND WE'RE NOT TO THE, THE TRADITIONALLY BUSY MONTHS.
UH, WHEN ANALYZING THE, THE, THE DATA FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, WE ALWAYS SEE LIKE A RAMP UP AROUND SUMMERTIME IN THE TIMES, UM, SPENT IN COURT.
AND WE DO SEE IT KIND OF DECREASE TOWARDS THE END, LIKE AROUND NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, WHICH MAKES SENSE.
SO ARE WE STILL CATCHING UP FROM COD? OH YEAH.
STILL WE'RE STILL CATCHING UP FROM HARVEY.
I MEAN THE, THE COURTS RIGHT NOW THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 2000 HOMICIDES PENDING TRIAL.
UH, OUT OF CURIOSITY, WITH THE TIME WAITING WHEN THE MONITOR, ARE THEY ALSO WAITING FOR THE FULL TIME BEFORE THE PERSON TESTIFIES? THEY'RE NOT SORT OF COMING RIGHT BEFORE TESTIMONY.
THEY'RE ALSO, UM, I PREVIOUSLY TESTIFIED AS WELL AND IF I HAD TO GO MONITOR SOMEBODY OR I HAD TO ASK SOMEBODY BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW AT THE TIME THEY'RE GONNA BE NEEDED AT THE STAND, UM, THEY NEED TO COME WITH YOU AND WAIT WITH YOU IN COURT.
SO WE DO ASK, WE GET THESE FROM A WORKFLOW THAT WE ASK THE STAFF MEMBERS TO SUBMIT ONCE THEY GO TESTIFY, BUT WE DON'T KEEP TRACK OF THE TIME THAT IT TAKES FOR THE MONITOR.
SO WE'RE NOT EVEN INCORPORATING THE TIME THAT IT AND ALL THIS DATA, UH, FOR THE MONITOR.
YEAH, IT WOULD BE HIGHER FOR SURE.
SO WHEN, WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU MONITOR, WHAT DOES THAT ALL INCLUDE? EX ACTUALLY, OKAY.
SO FOR AS PART OF OUR ACCREDITATION REQUIREMENT, THEY ASK US TO GO AND MONITOR.
AND THEY MEAN BY MONITOR, THEY ASK AN INDEPENDENT PERSON WHO IS, WHO IS SIGNED OFF IN THE DISCIPLINE.
[01:25:01]
UNDERSTAND THE DISCIPLINE TO GO AND REVIEW YOUR TESTIMONY BASICALLY.SO THEY GO AND REVIEW YOUR APPEARANCE, THEY GO AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE IMPARTIAL TO BOTH SIDES, UM, THAT YOU COMMUNICATE IN LAYMAN'S TERMS AND THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY, UM, EXPLAINING THE TECHNIQUE, THE, THE ANALYSIS AND WHATNOT TO THE JURIES AND TO THE JUDGE IN A, AN IMPARTIAL AND A VERY EASY WAY.
UM, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A FORM THAT PEOPLE FILL OUT AND IT'S A GOOD WAY TO CATCH DEFICIENCIES PERHAPS IN TESTIMONY.
'CAUSE IT'S A COMBINATION OF, YOU KNOW, PRESENTING TECHNICAL, UH, DATA AND IT'S ALSO PRESENTATION SKILLS.
SO IT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S VERY UNNERVING SITUATION WHEN YOU GET ON THE STAND.
SO IT'S MORE THAN JUST LEAVING A RECORDER WITH A, UM, WHAT'S HER NAME? OH, THE COURT, THE CHURCH, THE COURT REPORTER.
HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE A TRANSCRIPT REVIEW PROGRAM WHERE WE DO REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS FROM THE PAST AND WE REVIEW, UH, THEIR PAST, UM, COURTROOM TESTIMONY IN A BLINDED MANNER BY A, UH, BY A COMMITTEE, BY A SET OF COM, BY A COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF A QUALITY MEMBER, A LAY PERSON, AND A TECHNICAL EXPERT.
AND WE'VE REVIEWED THOSE AND WE'VE FOUND INSTANCES WHERE WE'VE NEEDED TO SPRUCE UP OR, UM, UM, INCORPORATE MORE TESTIMONY TRAINING.
SO I THINK THAT'S MORE OF THE INTENT TO LOOK AT THESE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY BLIND SPOTS IN OUR PROCESSES.
'CAUSE THIS IS ANOTHER OUTPUT OF OUR, UM, OF OUR SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
SO YEAH, JUST A A THERE IS A, IT WAS A WIDE VARIETY ACROSS THE COUNTRY OF HOW TESTIMONY GETS MONITORED.
UM, THERE ARE MANY PLACES IN THE COUNTRY WHERE TESTIMONY MONITORING IS THE EXPERT GOES TO COURT WITH A FORM, HANDS IT TO THE PROSECUTOR AND SAYS, PLEASE FILL THIS OUT.
UM, THERE'S PLENTY OF PLACES WHERE IT IS, UH, THEY MONITOR THEMSELVES.
UM, WE HAVE MADE THE CHOICE IN THIS AND REALLY IT'S PRETTY COMMON ACROSS TEXAS FOR IT TO BE LIKE JACKIE SAYS, SOMEBODY WHO IS, WHO IS KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THAT FIELD GOES AND WATCHES THEM WHILE THEY TESTIFY AT THAT TIME.
UM, WE STARTED THE TESTIMONY MONITORING ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO MM-HMM
UM, BECAUSE CONVERSATIONS WE WERE HAVING ABOUT IS THIS REALLY SUFFICIENT TO JUST DO THAT BECAUSE WHILE YOU'RE SITTING THERE WATCHING SOMEBODY TESTIFY, IT'S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THAT INTERACTION WITH THE JURY, THE ACTUAL PRESENTATION, THE INFLECTION OF THE VOICE, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
BUT IT'S TOUGH TO CATCH SOME OF THOSE SEMANTIC TURNS OF PHRASE THAT COULD BE PROBLEMATIC TO ACTUALLY HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHAT'S BEING SAID THERE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE IMPLEMENTED DOING THE TRANSCRIPT REVIEW AS WELL AS ANOTHER TOOL, NOT INSTEAD OF, BUT ANOTHER TOOL TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THOSE THINGS.
AND WE, WE CERTAINLY HAVE FOUND SOME PLACES WHERE, UM, ACTUALLY WE HAD ONE DISCLOSURE TO TFSC, HE DID OF A, UM, CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATOR NO LONGER WITH US, UH, GOT HIMSELF OUT OVER HIS SKIS.
HE BASICALLY TESTIFIED TO A FOOTPRINT SOURCE ATTRIBUTION THAT WE DON'T DO AND HE CERTAINLY WAS NOT LICENSED TO DO.
SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO FIND WITH THAT.
SO ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WAS MY LAST TOPIC? OR ANY FEEDBACK OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN MY NEXT PRESENTATION? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU MS. MORRELL AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE QUALITY DIVISION FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK ON THESE IMPORTANT TOPICS.
AND I ALSO, IT IS, IT SPEAKS A LOT TO HFSC AND QUALITY WHEN YOU HAVE COUNTRIES COMING TO YOU FOR ADVICE,
SO YOU GUYS SHOULD BE VERY, VERY PROUD.
UM, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 13 IS ADJOURNMENT.
UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVE.
UM, EVERYONE IN FAVOR? I ASSUME
ANYONE WHO OPPOSES AND WANTS TO STAY.
IT IS 10:32 AM AND WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING.
HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND EVERYONE.
WHEN DO WE TALK ABOUT TWO? REPLACE OUT.