{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-5-1501.06","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 5-1501.06","heading":"Powers and duties of the Department.","body":"(a)\nThe Department shall provide forensic science services for the District of Columbia, which may include:\n(1)\nForensic alcohol;\n(2)\nComputer forensics;\n(3)\nAnalysis of controlled substances;\n(4)\nDNA/biological material analysis;\n(5)\nFingerprint comparison;\n(6)\nFirearms and tool mark examination;\n(7)\nForensic photography;\n(8)\nAnalysis of questioned documents;\n(9)\nTrace evidence analysis; and\n(10)\nEmerging fields in forensic science.\n\n(b)\nThe Department shall provide the forensic science services described in subsection (a) of this section upon request to:\n(1)\nDistrict agencies, including:\n(A)\nThe MPD;\n(B)\nThe Office of the Chief Medical Examiner;\n(C)\nThe Office of the Attorney General;\n(D)\nThe Department of Health; and\n(E)\nThe Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department; and\n(2)\nTo the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.\n\n(b-1)\nNot Funded.\n\n(c)\nThe Department also may provide forensic science services to other law enforcement or investigative agencies.\n\n(c-1)\nThe Department shall provide public health laboratory services for the District of Columbia, which may include:\n(1)\nDisease prevention, control, and surveillance testing;\n(2)\nEmergency preparedness testing;\n(3)\nFood surveillance and testing; and\n(4)\nReference and specialized testing.\n\n(c-2)\nThe Department shall provide public health laboratory services upon request to District agencies.\n\n(c-3)\nThe Department also may provide public health laboratory services to other government agencies, hospitals, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and other health-related entities.\n\n(d)\n(1)\nThe Department shall be accredited by an appropriate, bona fide national accrediting organization.\n(2)\nDepartment accreditation shall be obtained before January 1, 2014.\n(3)\nAny forensic unit not included in the Department’s accreditation, and any forensic unit subsequently added to the Department, shall be accredited as soon as possible.\n\n(e)\nThe Department shall provide for the security and protection of evidence and samples in its custody.\n\n(f)\nThe Department shall provide training regarding the collection and preservation of forensic evidence to:\n(1)\nLaw enforcement agencies;\n(2)\nHospitals; and\n(3)\nOther entities or individuals that collect evidence for testing or examination by the Department.\n\n(g)\nThe Department shall, to the extent feasible, complete cases submitted by MPD in the priority order requested by the Chief of Police.\n\n(h)\n(1)\nThe Department shall make available all records pertaining to the analysis conducted in a particular case to the agency that requested the analysis.\n(2)\nIf the records pertain to a criminal prosecution, the Department shall provide the prosecutor with 2 identical sets of records, one for the government and one for the defense.\n(2A)\nNot Funded.\n(3)\nFor the purposes of this subsection, the term “records” shall include:\n(A)\nLab notes and bench notes;\n(B)\nWorksheets, graphs, and charts;\n(C)\nPhotographs;\n(D)\nRaw data;\n(E)\nReports;\n(F)\nStatistical information used to calculate probabilities or uncertainty;\n(G)\nAny logs related to the equipment or materials used in testing;\n(H)\nAny written communications or records of oral communications regarding a specific individual case between the Department and any other agency or between the Department and any person not employed by the Department, except as otherwise prohibited by law; and\n(I)\nProficiency test results for individual examiners involved in the analysis.\n(J)\nNot Funded.\n\n(i)\nThe following documents shall be public documents:\n(1)\nAll accreditation documents;\n(2)\nAll of the documents listed in § 5-1501.04(b);\n(3)\nAny investigative report prepared pursuant to § 5-1501.10(c);\n(3A)\nNot Funded.\n(4)\nMinutes of meetings of the Board; and\n(5)\nAny other documents as required by law to be public.","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/5-1501.06","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"5e4ef5dfdf5009719f597943b0eceffe40c0fcf8effa61c9ff5f048d2cfee6b2","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-5-1501.05a","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-5-1501.06a"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}