LA Council Watch

← All files

2025 Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program / United States Department of Justice / Office of Justice Programs / Bureau of Justice Assistance / Grant Award

Council File 26-0834

Under review — the LAPD is seeking federal funding to clear DNA evidence backlogs and speed up criminal investigations, but the Budget and Finance and Public Safety committees need to sign off on the grant terms before City Council can decide.

Introduced
2026-06-03
Last changed
2026-06-04
Status
open
Expires
2028-06-03
Committee
Budget and Finance Committee
Initiated by
Board of Police Commissioners
References
Board Report: 26-156

Brief

The Los Angeles Police Department, through the Board of Police Commissioners, is pursuing a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance for the 2025 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program. The grant would fund laboratory capacity, equipment, training, and staffing to accelerate DNA testing in felony and cold cases. Submitted June 3, 2026, the proposal is currently pending review in the Budget and Finance Committee and Public Safety Committee. No council action has been taken; the file expires in June 2028.

Full summary

The Los Angeles Police Department, through the Board of Police Commissioners, has initiated a proposal to accept and administer a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance. The grant is designated specifically for the 2025 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program, which aims to improve the department's ability to process DNA evidence and clear the backlog of cases awaiting DNA testing and analysis. DNA backlogs in criminal investigations can delay prosecutions and investigations significantly. This program is designed to address that bottleneck by funding additional laboratory capacity, equipment, training, or staffing to accelerate DNA testing and analysis in cases ranging from felonies to cold cases. The Board of Police Commissioners submitted the proposal on June 3, 2026. It was immediately referred to two committees for review: the Budget and Finance Committee and the Public Safety Committee. Both committees must examine the grant terms, the intended use of funds, and any city match or administrative requirements before the full City Council can act. The file is set to expire in June 2028 if no final action is taken. As of the most recent activity on June 4, 2026, the proposal remains pending in committee review with no further action yet recorded.

Activity (2)

  • 2026-06-04 Board of Police Commissioners document(s) referred to Budget and Finance Committee; Public Safety Committee.
  • 2026-06-03 Document submitted by Board of Police Commissioners, dated June 3, 2026.

Documents (1)

View on CFMS →