Police in Fort Worth are nearing the end of a significant backlog in processing Sexual Assault Evidence Kits.

News Flash: Fort Worth Police Department Nearly Eliminates Sexual Assault Evidence Kit Backlog

Hey there! Here's the skinny on the Fort Worth Police Department's progress in clearing their backlog of untested sexual assault kits.

Last year, NBC 5 Investigates shone a spotlight on the issue, revealing that over 900 kits hadn't been analyzed within the 90-day timeframe mandated by Texas law. These kits, filled with crucial DNA evidence, play a vital role in identifying pervs and repeat offenders.

Faced with public outrage, the Fort Worth Police Department decided to take a bit of a walk on the wild side and aim to eradicate the backlog by April 2025. And get this—they're making some serious progress! According to the latest numbers, there are only 66 kits left to process.

The news came as a breath of fresh air to city officials and the community, who had voiced concerns about delayed justice for survivors. Some, like Councilwoman Elizabeth Beck, criticized the department for letting down victims due to the evidence processing delays.

To turn it all around, the department decided to flex its muscles by beefing up its crime lab staff and sending some of the kits to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office for analysis. These bold moves have significantly slashed the backlog in just six short months.

Now, you might think this turnaround is a one-off, but Licence to Kill, or should I say, Police Chief Neil Noakes, acknowledged the public's frustration during a city council meeting in November. He even offered up some sincere apologies to victims and vented his anger over the mess.

One question niggling the mind of La French Connection (Latrice Godfrey), who saw her own kit go unanalyzed for nearly a year, is whether these improvements will stick around even after Chief Noakes hangs up his badge and retires. She worries about structures that will keep these issues at bay in the long haul.

A significant stumbling block had been understaffing at the city's crime lab, causing lengthy delays in evidence handling. To nip this problem in the bud, the department implemented some tight ass oversight and procedural changes to prevent any future backlogs.

Chief Noakes made it clear that the department's goal is not just to tackle the current mess but to ensure it never resurfaces. To ensure that, they're aiming to send new evidence kits to the medical examiner's office within a week of receiving them. If anything holds them up, cops should keep survivors in the loop and uphold transparency and accountability.

Remember Lavinia Masters? The Texas law's 90-day deadline for rape kit testing was established in her honor, following her own evidence kit remaining unprocessed for over two decades after reporting an assault as a kiddo. Since then, she's been a crusader for survivor rights and the importance of ongoing communication and support during the legal process.

The Fort Worth City Council will review the status of the remaining 66 untested kits during an upcoming meeting. So, keep your eyes peeled for those deets!

Got a juicy tip? Drop me a line at [email protected]!

KERA News thrives thanks to the generosity of our members. If you dig this investigative journalism, consider cracking open that piggy bank and tossing some dough our way! Your support keeps the lights on and the stories flowing. Thanks in advance!

The significant reduction in Fort Worth's sexual assault kit backlog, once numbering over 900, has left only 66 kits to be processed, following intense focus and ambitious targets set by the police department.
Councilwoman Elizabeth Beck, a vocal critic of the department's handling of the backlog, praised the progress but voiced concerns about ensuring long-term solutions to prevent similar issues in the future.
To rectify the issues, the Fort Worth Police Department increased staff at their crime lab and forwarded some kits to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office for analysis, drastically cutting down the backlog in just six months.
The goal of eliminating the backlog by April 2025 has been a welcome development in Fort Worth's General News and Crime and Justice sections, acknowledging the importance of swift evidence processing in identifying the offenders within the community.
La French Connection, whose own kit sat untouched for nearly a year, remains cautiously optimistic about the lasting impact of these improvements, hoping for stable structures to keep the issue at bay well into the future.