At first glance, a white van parked outside the New Britain Police Department Thursday morning looked like any other police vehicle. But looks can be deceiving–those who step inside the van will quickly see that it's a fully equipped forensic lab.
The van is capable of processing DNA tests, ballistic comparisons, and has digital forensics capabilities which are ready to analyze evidence.
This brings the forensic tools of a state laboratory directly to local police officers across Connecticut, according to Lucina Lopes-Phelan, deputy director of the Identification Section of the Division of Scientific Services.
“Instead of waiting to send evidence to the lab and waiting for the work to be completed through the traditional processes, we can now bring key forensic capabilities much closer to the scene and, in some cases, directly to it,” said Lopes-Phelan.
Connecticut’s forensic teams have already deployed the van in high-profile investigations, including the multi-state response to the shootings at Brown University last December and the subsequent homicide of an MIT professor.
Investigators from Connecticut and Rhode Island worked together to analyze blood evidence and compare shell casings to national databases. The on-site and mobile capabilities of the van allowed forensic teams to collaborate, across state lines.
The van is based in New Britain and will be stationed there for the next few months. However, it is available to municipalities across the state and will be especially important for local law enforcement, according to New Britain Police Chief Matthew Marino.
“The men and women of the New Britain Police Department take a great deal of pride in their investigative work and are excited about this opportunity,” Marino said. “Having a critical piece of equipment like this at our disposal plays an essential role in ensuring that we carry out our work with the most accuracy and efficiency.”
The van has three important capabilities: it can produce a DNA profile in under two hours, compare cartridge cases against thousands of entries in the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), and digital tools like GrayKey give officers immediate access to evidence on iPhone and Android devices, whether locked or unlocked.
Most deployments will remain in Connecticut and out-of-state use will be limited to urgent, multi-state cases. Officials said the van cost roughly $1 million to purchase, and annual maintenance will cost $30,000.
Personnel already employed at the state lab operate the vehicle, meaning no additional payroll is required.
The investment is part of a broader modernization effort by the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP). Ronnell A. Higgins, commissioner of the DESPP, says the department has worked to incorporate more technology to improve Connecticut law enforcement in the past few years.
“We are modernizing 911 systems, and we are investing in one of the states and one of the nation's best radio networks”, Higgins said. “We are continuing to train officers to recognize and respond to crimes. Those are just a few examples, but today we add another tool, one that helps investigators develop critical leads in real time.”
