The laboratory is capable of performing any forensic scientific
analysis for which a laboratory staff member has received appropriate training
and for which the necessary equipment and materials are available to the staff
member performing the analysis.
The following subrules catalogue and explain specific
laboratory capabilities. These descriptions and explanations are provided for
informational purposes and in no way limit the authority of the laboratory to
perform any analysis for which a staff person is appropriately trained and for
which necessary equipment and materials are available. Further information
regarding the current forensic science capabilities of the laboratory may be
obtained in the Iowa Criminalistics Laboratory Quality Assurance Manual,
published by the division of criminal investigation criminalistics
laboratory.
(1)
Crime scene
response. The laboratory may assist law enforcement agencies, when
appropriate, by responding to a crime scene and may examine, collect and
preserve physical evidence.
(2)
Breath alcohol section. The breath alcohol section provides
testing, approval, repair, maintenance and certification of breath testing
instruments, provides officer training and certification in the use of
evidential breath testing equipment, and provides expert testimony in the area
of breath testing instrumentation and the effects of alcohol on the human
body.
(3)
Controlled
substance identification. The laboratory will identify and quantify,
when appropriate, materials suspected to contain controlled substances, and
will identify items of significance recovered from clandestine drug
laboratories.
(4)
DNA. The laboratory will examine evidence for human biological
samples and characterize the samples using DNA technologies.
(5)
DNA profiling. The
laboratory will generate and maintain DNA profiles from qualifying
offenders.
(6)
Firearms. The firearms section examines firearms, ammunition
and ammunition components to determine whether a specific firearm fired a
specific bullet or cartridge case or, lacking a specific firearm, to determine
the possible type of firearm which could have fired the evidentiary bullets and
cartridge cases. The firearms section also reconstructs shooting scenes to
determine the distance from the muzzle of the firearm to the target, and
examines firearms to determine if they function as designed or have been
altered from the original design.
The firearms section also maintains a reference collection of
firearms and ammunition for comparison purposes and is responsible for the
inventory and destruction of firearms forfeited to the laboratory under the
Iowa Code.
(7)
Latent prints and impressions. The latent prints and
impressions section:
a. Examines evidence for
visible or latent prints.
b. Makes
comparisons to known friction skin exemplars of the fingers, palms and soles of
the feet.
c. Examines footwear,
tire tracks, and other impression evidence and compares the evidence to known
exemplars.
(8)
Photography. The photography section provides photographic and
video processing services, both digital and film-based, required by all
divisions of the department of public safety.
(9)
Questioned documents.
The questioned documents section characterizes and compares handwritten and
machine-produced documents to determine facts about their origins.
(10)
Tool marks. The tool
marks section examines tools and tool marks to determine whether a specific
tool produced a specific mark on an item of evidence or, lacking the tool, what
type of tool produced a specific mark.
(11)
Toxicology. The
toxicology section examines biological samples for the presence of ethyl
alcohol and common drugs of abuse.
(12)
Trace and arson. The
trace and arson section examines submitted materials to characterize, identify,
or compare them using various analytical techniques. Examples of materials
include but are not limited to: ignitable liquids, glass, paint, soil, building
materials, explosives, and fibers.
