Fremont City Council Meeting: 06/18/24 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Police Department
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Agreements and Contracts
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5193) DOC ID: 5193
Updated: 6/13/2024 9:40 AM by Dina Lewis Page 1
FORENSIC EXAMINATION AND DNA EVIDENCE ANALYSIS - Authorize the City Manager or her Designee to enter into an Agreement with Serological Research Institute in an amount not to exceed $700,000 over a five-year agreement term.
Contact Persons:
Name: Jared Morrison Lance Brede
Title: Special Operations Division
Lieutenant
Deputy Chief
Div/Dept: Police Department Police Department
Phone: (510) 790-6906 (510) 790-6930
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: Since 2014, the Fremont Police Department has utilized Serological Research Institute (SERI) to extract, process, and analyze DNA evidence. The current contract with SERI will expire on June 30, 2024. Staff is recommending that the City Council authorize the City Manager to enter into a new five-year agreement with SERI for a total amount not to exceed $700,000.
BACKGROUND: SERI, located in Richmond, is a fully equipped and staffed forensic serology/DNA laboratory specializing in the analysis of blood and other body fluids encountered as evidence in criminal and civil matters. Information derived from serological evidence possesses the potential to eliminate suspects on a scientific basis or to include a particular individual as a possible perpetrator through genetic evidence. Information derived from blood and other body fluid evidence can aid in the reconstruction of events pertinent to a crime as well. SERI’s serologists are court qualified and one is Board Certified by the American Board of Criminalistics (ABC) in Forensic Biology.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: The Police Department recently conducted a comparison of local forensic serology/DNA laboratories. Due to the need to have evidence physically transported back and forth from the lab, only labs in the immediate area were compared.
One of the labs is utilized for cold cases but is cost prohibitive for DNA processing. While several County labs can be used for DNA processing, they service other county agencies and results are often significantly delayed. Additionally, many of these labs do not possess the equipment needed to process specialty type DNA. SERI is the Police Department’s preferred lab for its ability to process all specialty-type DNA evidence and provide the quickest turnaround time. SERI also uses techniques like the M-Vac Trace DNA Sampling System that is able to use a small, sterile solution-vacuum to extract DNA trapped within cloth over a wide area and receive results where traditional methods have failed. This process is often used in high profile cases such as cold cases, homicides, robberies, and aggravated assaults. County labs do not possess such equipment and they are typically not able to consult, analyze, and provide results in a similar time frame. SERI remains the only lab to consistently provide results in as little as 48 hours on rush orders. Consequently, contracting with SERI is a sole source under Fremont Municipal Code section 3.20.300 and would not require competitive bidding.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5193) Meeting of June 18, 2024 Updated: 6/13/2024 9:40 AM by Dina Lewis Page 2
Based on the current level of usage, staff projects expenditures of approximately $140,000 per year over the five-year term of the recommended agreement, for a total amount not to exceed $700,000.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for forensic examination and DNA evidence analysis was included in the FY 2024/25 Proposed Operating Budget.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: The contract for lab services is exempt from and not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because, without limitation, it is not a “project” as defined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(2) and/or 15378(b)(5) and as it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity may have a significant effect on the environment per CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), each as a separate and independent basis for CEQA compliance.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
RECOMMENDATION: Authorize the City Manager or her designee to enter into a service agreement with Serological Research Institute for a five-year term in an amount not to exceed $700,000.