The Phoenix Police Department says its crime lab has made progress in reducing the backlog of sexual assault cases.
In a statement, the department says it tested 930 sexual assault kits, leaving 160 pending. And the majority of those are expected to be sent out for processing in the next month.
The department credits its progress to its ability to outsource testing of the kits, which was approved by Phoenix City Council in September 2023.
“Solving these terrible crimes is one of our highest priorities, and I'm proud of the progress we've made to cut the sexual assault kit backlog," Mayor Kate Gallego said in a press release Friday. “We're going to eliminate the backlog once and for all — and keep it there."
The crime laboratory has also worked to increase its productivity by filling vacancies. And next year, the police department plans to expand the Victim Information Portal to include sexual assault cases. That should improve communication with victims.
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