FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Wednesday, May 3, 2006

DNA Lab Project Chosen for Mayor Bloomberg’s Press Conference

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Mayor Supports Governor’s Call for Expanded DNA Data Collection

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg held a press conference today at the site of New York City’s DNA Laboratory, under construction by the Dormitory Authority. The Mayor called upon the State Legislature to pass Governor George E. Pataki’s proposal that would require all convicted criminals to provide DNA samples for inclusion in the State DNA Databank. The bill was passed by the State Senate in February and is pending in the State Assembly.

Scheduled for completion in November 2006, the DNA Laboratory will be the most advanced lab of its kind in the country. The state-of-the-art facility will greatly expand testing capacity, allowing for DNA analysis to be performed in all cases routinely, instead of for sex crimes and homicides only. This will be the first forensic laboratory in the country with the ability to perform a new type of high-sensitivity analysis to extract DNA profiles from tiny samples left behind at crime scenes. The new laboratory is expected to significantly increase the number of forensic samples that New York City contributed to the State DNA Databank. The New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will operate the lab.

However, without passage of the DNA legislation, the lab will be unable to maximize its capacity to analyze and evaluate this critical data.

“In New York City, we’ve driven crime down to its lowest levels, and the establishment of a State DNA Databank will ensure that we keep making America’s safest big city even safer by helping prevent crimes before they happen,” Mayor Bloomberg said. “There is no doubt that a State DNA Databank is our best tool for catching violent offenders before they become serial offenders – and 43 states across the country have already recognized this and enacted similar laws. Today, New York State has one of the weakest DNA databank laws in the country, and it’s time for that to change. I urge expedited enactment of this critical legislation because when it comes to cutting-edge policing and enforcement technologies, New York should be leading the charge, not lagging behind.”

Joining the Mayor for his press conference were the district attorneys of the five boroughs, Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, Criminal Justice Coordinator John Feinblatt, Chief Medical Examiner Charles S. Hirsch, and Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan, among others.

The photos accompanying this article were taken by Edward Reed in the Mayor’s Photo Unit, and provided to the Authority through the courtesy of the Mayor’s Press Office.

To read the full text of Mayor Bloomberg’s press release, go to http://home.nyc.gov/portal/index.jsp?epi_menuItemID=c0935b9a57bb4ef3daf2f1c701c789a0&epi_menuID=13ecbf46556241d3daf2f1c701c789a0&epi_baseMenuID=27579af732d48f86a62fa24601c789a0&pageID=mayor_press_release&catID=1194&doc_name=http%3A%2F%2Fhome.nyc.gov%2Fhtml%2Fom%2Fhtml%2F2006a%2Fpr138-06.html&cc=unused1978&rc=1194&ndi=1