Governor awards grant to buy equipment for Jacksonville State forensic lab

Governor Robert Bentley has awarded a $34,179 grant to Jacksonville State University to upgrade technology used in the collection, documentation and preservation of crime-scene evidence.

The JSU Center for Applied Forensics will use the grant to purchase modern equipment used by the center to gather crucial evidence that assists law enforcement agencies in solving crimes and obtaining convictions.

“The science of forensics is often the difference in whether someone is arrested and convicted of a crime,” Bentley said. “I support our efforts and ability to keep up with new developments in science and the impact those developments have in our criminal justice system.”

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funding made available by the U.S. Department of Justice.

“I am pleased with the partnerships that ADECA has developed with law enforcement agencies and forensic agencies to make our communities safer,” ADECA Director Jim Byard Jr. said. “The Center for Applied Forensics continues to provide equipment and workshops that enhances the abilities of our law enforcement agencies to collect and analyze forensic evidence.”

Bentley notified JSU President Dr. John M. Beehler that the grant had been approved.

ADECA manages a range of programs that support law enforcement, economic development, recreation, energy conservation and water resource management.

More information about ADECA’s partnership with the Center for Applied Forensics to provide workshops and equipment to help local law enforcement agencies improve collection of forensic evidence is available here:

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Contact Jim Plott or Mike Presley