September 15-21, 2024, is recognized as Forensic Science Week throughout the United States. Forensic Science Week recognizes the important role forensic science plays in the investigation of crimes, from exonerating the innocent to identifying the guilty. This week recognizes the scientific and technical professionals that serve our communities in that vital role. The Grand Junction Police Department (GJPD) is privileged to have several members of our organization who are a part of the forensic community. These highly trained professionals perform a wide variety of tasks including responding to crime scenes to process and collect evidence, maintaining the integrity of evidence submitted, and performing analysis on controlled substances, digital evidence, serology, and latent prints. Their expertise has helped and will continue to provide expert work product to assist in the investigation of criminal activity. These individuals usually work behind the scenes, maintaining evidence and processing items long after the initial crime was committed. They each deal with heavy caseloads and responsibilities yet strive to answer critical questions to assist in criminal investigations while maintaining the highest integrity. Here are some ways the Grand Junction Police Department’s forensic science professionals serve the Western Slope:

• GJPD evidence technicians are currently in charge of all items of evidence submitted to the department. In 2023, an average of 1,668 items were submitted monthly.
• They have also been tasked with keeping track of all body-worn camera footage and other digital evidence, totaling over 523,000 items.
• In the past 20 years, our evidence submission rate has increased by 150%. Our oldest case is from 1964. 
• Our chemists continue to maintain a heavy caseload of casework, not only from the GJPD, but throughout the Western Slope. The chemists have processed over 12,000 pieces of evidence for the presence of chemical substances in the past 5 years. Our chemists are the longest-tenured chemists stationed at CBI (to include the Denver, Pueblo, and Northern Lab offices). They currently handle all casework throughout the Western Slope, in addition to assisting with serology and digital evidence.
• Cell phone downloads and analysis requests have increased approximately 118% over the past 5 years.
• In 2023, the Digital Lab processed approximately 78 TB of information.

The Grand Junction Police Department is proud to recognize Forensic Science Week and to acknowledge the critical importance these professionals play in the Grand Junction community.