AUSTIN, Texas — Austinites were given the opportunity to take a one-time tour through the Texas Department of Public Safety's (DPS) Crime Laboratory as part of National Science and Forensic Week.
Folks were able to see how each lab operates and were given a short presentation into the work each employee does on a daily basis.
The areas of focus included trace evidence, DNA, firearms, forensic documents, seized drugs, toxicology and a number of other analyses.
"I hope it does build that level of trust," laboratory manager Haley Yaklin said. "They get to see how much we put into it and our passion for it."
Ryan Christopher is the supervisor for the firearm and toolmark section and said that while most people assume that title means shooting guns all day, guns actually play only a small part in their work.
"A vast majority of our work is done on the microscope and through taking notes and the meticulous photographing of everything that we do," Christopher said.
Christopher also noted another task at hand is serial number restoration when a weapon is defaced.
Isabelle Brownlow is a forensic scientist who focuses on fingerprints. The division she is under is called "Friction Ridge."
Brownlow explained that the reason for the title is because Friction Ridge is the impressions that are determined by the friction on a person's skin, their palms, hands, fingertips and soles of their feet.
"Fingerprints sometimes have different shapes and potentially a palm print impression or a footprint impression," Brownlow said. "So we're looking for the minutia and the features that we use for comparison when we're doing our examinations."
Yaklin said a new tool the division will add is a records portal. Most records are currently done manually, which Yaklin acknowledged is an outdated system.
The portal will allow agencies, prosecutors and defense attorneys to have access to all records and notes, all of which will be placed in one spot.
"That's going to be a big win for just all of forensics to get that out there because everything we do is discoverable for the courts," Yaklin said. "And so, they need to have all of our records, all of our notes, everything that could be discoverable in a case."
In a news release, DPS Director Steven McCraw recognized the efforts of staff at the Crime Laboratory Division, saying:
“Every day our crime labs across the state are doing extraordinary work. Without the expertise and commitment of these men and women, we would not be able to protect and preserve public safety in Texas. We owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to these individuals who work tirelessly behind the scenes.”