Gov. Matt Blunt today announced a new strategic partnership to advance safety for Missouri families with a new crime lab in Springfield for the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The governor's anti-crime initiative will help law enforcement get faster and more efficient results which will assist in the apprehension of perpetrators. "The fundamental responsibility of government is to protect life and liberty, and this new partnership between Springfield and Missouri will ensure that our law enforcement community has the tools and resources to protect our loved ones from violent criminals," Gov. Blunt said. "The new crime lab will lessen the caseload in Jefferson City and provide results in a more efficient manner to assist in criminal investigations and the apprehension of criminals."
"The new Springfield crime lab will relieve much of the workload pressure at the General Headquarters lab in Jefferson City, resulting in faster and better service to the citizens of southwest Missouri, as well as all other regions of the State," said Colonel James Keathley, Superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Currently, the system receives over 23,000 criminal cases a year. The creation of the Springfield lab will increase forensic analysis capacity by 30 percent.
