{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-5-1501.04","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 5-1501.04","heading":"Duties of the Director.","body":"(a)\nThe Director shall:\n(1)\nBe responsible for the management and operation of the Department;\n(2)\nEnsure that accreditation is obtained in compliance with § 5-1501.06(d);\n(3)\nEnsure that accreditation is maintained in compliance with § 5-1501.06(d);\n(4)\nReport to the Board any allegation of professional negligence, misconduct, or misidentification or other testing error that occurs in the provision of forensic science services and public health laboratory services within the Department;\n(5)\nPrepare an annual report on the activities of the Department, which shall be submitted to the Mayor and the Council and made available to the public in February of each year;\n(6)\nBe responsible for the preparation of minutes of meetings of the Board; and\n(6A)\nNot Funded.\n(7)\nPerform such other acts as may be appropriate to accomplish the declared mission of the Department.\n\n(b)\nThe Director shall ensure that the Department promulgates training manuals and standard operating procedures, including:\n(1)\nProtocols for forensic testing, examination, and analysis;\n(2)\nProcedures for handling case-specific information to minimize bias;\n(3)\nStandards for the maintenance and calibration of all laboratory equipment and materials, including standards for maintaining logs documenting the maintenance and calibration performed;\n(4)\nProcedures for estimations of uncertainty;\n(5)\nProcedures for monitoring the quality of forensic analysis;\n(6)\nProcedures for regular internal and external audits;\n(7)\nA system through which reports of allegations of negligence, misconduct, or misidentification or other testing error are processed;\n(8)\nProficiency testing protocols;\n(9)\nInternal validation studies;\n(10)\nStandards for reporting results, including model laboratory reports and guidelines for the presentation of results in court; and\n(11)\nQualification standards for analyst positions within the Department.\n\n(b-1)\nNot Funded.\n\n(c)\n(1)\nAll documents promulgated pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall be:\n(A)\nProvided by the Director to the Board prior to adoption; and\n(B)\nMade available by the Director to the Board when requested for periodic review.\n(2)\nThe Director shall consider the recommendations of the Board. To the extent that the Director rejects the recommendations of the Board, the Director shall explain his or her reasons to the Board.\n(3)\nNot Funded.\n\n(d)\nThe Director may receive, administer, and expend all funds, including public and private grants, and other funding assistance available to perform his or her duties and to accomplish the Department's mission.","path":["Title 5. Police, Firefighters, Medical Examiner, and Forensic Sciences.","Chapter 15. Department of Forensic Sciences."],"source_url":"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/5-1501.04","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"cd3121420a9d7e6429dd687e36f2e1927718e2ced17b41a1aaaa09d6ce97fb3a","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-5-1501.03a","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-5-1501.04a"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}