The Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) will soon be providing a new type of DNA collection kit to law enforcement agencies. The updated Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) kits, which are less bulky and use a preservative paper, will be mailed out as agencies request more DNA collection kits.
Diane Gehres, laboratory manager and CODIS technical leader at BCI, said the older kits are still acceptable, provided they have a prepaid mailing envelope addressed to the BCI office in London. Agencies are encouraged to use the remainder of the older kits they have before requesting the new kits. When an agency requests CODIS DNA collection kits, the agency will be sent a link to an eight-minute training video on use of the new kits. No changes have been made with the DNA collection form, she said, but the type of swab has changed. She recommends that anyone who will be making collections watch the video.
The Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway (OHLEG) provides a way for law enforcement officers to monitor CODIS DNA collections for their agency. An OHLEG user can navigate to “Negative DNA Flag Offender Report” under the available applications. Then, the officer can select a date range. Adults with felony arrests associated with that agency’s Originating Agency Identifier (ORI) number, but who have yet to have a DNA sample provided to BCI, will be listed. The law enforcement agency should use this list to investigate the reason why DNA was not collected or why a DNA collection failed to update in the Computerized Criminal History.
CODIS is an FBI software platform that blends forensic science and computer technology. It has multiple levels where DNA profiles can be stored and searched at the state level and national level.
Analysts use CODIS to search DNA profiles obtained from crime scene evidence against DNA profiles from other crime scenes and from convicted offenders and arrestees. CODIS can generate investigative leads in cases when a match is obtained.
To see a video about using the new kits, visit
www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/CODIS.