Hennepin County’s forensic lab for DNA testing is now fully operational

The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office says its Forensic Science Laboratory DNA facility is now fully functional.

The sheriff’s office said the lab halted DNA testing after identifying a DNA profile that had contaminated a control sample. A team of experts spent multiple weeks reviewing several samples and investigating the source of the added DNA profile.

According to law enforcement, the DNA profile had appeared in other labs across the nation and was traced back to a plastic plate from a third-party vendor who supplied products to labs for forensics.

Once the source was discovered, the lab grabbed a new replacement product, which, after testing, allowed them to continue DNA testing.

“The knowledge and expertise that these forensic scientists bring to Hennepin County and the criminal justice system, at large, is invaluable,” said Sheriff Dawanna Witt. “We are fortunate to have them working cases for our County.”

The sheriff’s office said the risk of contamination for DNA labs is low, but it can’t be completely eliminated.

Since halting DNA analysis, forensic scientists reviewed over 50,000 samples from previously conducted casework to narrow down the impact of the contaminations and have recommended fewer than 10 cases for retesting.