DC crime lab appears to regain partial accreditation after losing ability to process evidence
Washington, D.C., has been unable to fully utilize its crime lab since 2021, when, after months of scrutiny and evidence errors, the forensics lab had its national accreditation suspended. However, that problem appears to be falling behind the embattled agency.
Recently published certificates from the ANSI National Accreditation Board appear to return accreditation to the District’s forensic biology laboratory through December of 2026.
The news comes just months after D.C. Councilmembers highlighted improvements in the crime lab and a path to reaccreditation by 2024. Previous details shared by the D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences mirrored these estimates.
“I was really excited to learn that last month they filed for reaccreditation of the Forensic Biology and Forensic Chemistry Units which helps us address, crime and evidence here in the District of Columbia,” Nadeau said during a visit to the forensics department Thursday. “They asked for their application to be fast-tracked.”
NBC Washington reporter Mark Segraves was the first to report plans for an accreditation announcement in the coming week.
WTOP has reached out to the accreditation board for more information on plans to announce the certification.
This is a developing story. Stick with WTOP for the latest.