The Chicago Police Department’s Forensic Services Division is now an accredited laboratory by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) National Accreditation Board (ANAB). CPD’s forensic laboratory achieved accreditation on its first assessment attempt, which is rare for a laboratory of its size. The department’s efforts to achieve this accreditation have been part of a multi-year, comprehensive effort rooted in the department’s commitment to strengthening investigations. 

“Receiving accreditation is the culmination of years of hard work by the men and women of the Forensic Services Division to standardize the laboratory’s operations in accordance with national standards,” said First Deputy Superintendent Antoinette Ursitti, who oversaw the accreditation efforts during her time as Chief of Detectives. “With this accreditation, we will continue to hold ourselves to the highest levels of professionalism and integrity while continuing to seek justice for victims.”

As part of the accreditation, the Firearms, Latent Print Development, and Latent Print Examination sections were assessed to determine if the operations of the Forensic Services Division conformed with the requirements of ANAB ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and ANAB AR 3125. The accreditation affirms the integrity of forensic testing in the laboratory, which is important not only during the course of investigations but also during the prosecution of criminal cases. 

The Forensic Services Division achieved compliance by fulfilling more than 400 requirements. These requirements focus on more than just the forensic testing process, but also focus on sufficient staffing, training, proper documentation and ongoing accountability protocols. Throughout the accreditation process, CPD worked closely with Ron Smith & Associates, which provided subject matter expertise that was important in ensuring the lab met the necessary qualifications.

“The Forensic Services Division is crucial to our investigative process, and this accreditation process has helped us expand and further legitimize our forensic capabilities,” said Chief of Detectives Kevin Bruno. “Though we have achieved our goal of accreditation, we know there is more work to be done on behalf of every Chicagoan affected by crime.”