TBI Proposal Charges For Testing Evidence

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - In an attempt to save between 50 and 80 employees and reduce the budget by $4 million, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is working on a proposal to generate revenue.

Related:TBI: Evidence-Testing Charge Would Save Jobs | Video: TBI May Charge To Test Evidence, Sources Say

The ideas include charging local law enforcement agencies for evidence submitted to the TBI crime lab.

The service has been free, but agencies could be charged $20 per exhibit and $100 for DNA testing under the new proposal. A blood toxicology fee passed on to defendants could be raised from $100 to $250, according to TBI spokeswoman Kristin Helm.

"We are basically down to either (cutting) positions, people or trying to propose some kind of revenue generator to keep running," said Helm.

Without the changes, the TBI said, 50 to 80 employees would have to be eliminated.

The proposals still have to be sponsored and passed by the Legislature, and Helm said the changes would not go into effect until July 1 if that happens.

Many law enforcement agencies do not budget for evidence testing, since it's been a free service. Wilson County Sheriff Terry Ashe said he doesn't want to see victims end up with the short end of the stick because investigators are budget conscious rather than focusing on solving the crime.

So far this year, Gallatin police have submitted 445 pieces of evidence for testing. If it's assumed none of that is for DNA testing and only the $20 fee is tacked on, that would run the agency about $8,900.

Commander Dennis Thrasher said if it passes, that money would have to be taken from other areas in the department's budget and could mean less money for other training or technology.

"Obviously, you don't ever want to see any agency be put into a situation where they are going to have to decide what to send off by how much money they have in their budget. That creates a scary situation," said Thrasher.

Helm said if some money isn't generated, it could result in a loss of entire disciplines of testing in the TBI lab, which could force law enforcement agencies to use private labs with traditionally higher fees.

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