State forensic unit nationally accredited

The R.I. Department of Health’s Forensics Unit has been nationally accredited, officials announced last week, assuring the public that it has met and maintains acceptable standards in the areas of safety, quality assurance, records management, laboratory equipment and evidence control.
The unit, which is part of the State Laboratory, was accredited by Forensic Quality Services, International (FQS-I), after an assessment that covered substance analysis, toxicology, biology, DNA analysis and the DNA database (CODIS).
“One of HEALTH’s goals is to provide law enforcement officials, the judicial system and the general public with high-quality forensic scientific services,” said Ewa King, director of the State Laboratory, in a news release. “This accreditation is the gold standard for measuring the quality of forensic laboratories, and the achievement demonstrates that our services meet and adhere to the requirements of the forensic community.”
The Forensic Unit handles about 6,000 cases each year from law enforcement agencies in the state. For more information, go to www.health.ri.gov/labs.