TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — Law enforcement in Oklahoma are calling it a complete game changer — technology that can process DNA evidence from crime scenes in just 90 minutes.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has expanded its Rapid DNA Program to include a new facility in Tahlequah, giving law enforcement agencies across northeast Oklahoma access to revolutionary crime-fighting technology.
"We are definitely leading the wave of this technology utilized in this way for law enforcement," said Rapid DNA Program Supervisor Beth Deen.
It's things like blood or saliva that work best to make a DNA match, said Deen. She demonstrated how the system works.
"You insert a sample cartridge with a presumptive or investigative lead sample in it and it is capable of developing a DNA sample in just 90 minutes," Deen said.
The technology represents a dramatic improvement over traditional DNA processing methods. Previously, evidence would be sent to OSBI laboratories and could take months to process.
Sgt. Ryan Robison with the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office has already put the technology to work on active cases.
"I was able to run actually two cigarette butts through the system," said Robison. "It was from a burglary and we were able to make a couple DNA profiles."
WATCH: 2 News covered the first machine in August
While those particular profiles didn't generate matches in the database, Robison emphasized how the rapid turnaround time is transforming investigations.
"Originally, we would have to submit those cigarette butts to OSBI and wait potentially a couple of months before we get something back," he said. "This allows us to go forward. If we were to make an association with a name, it could potentially get somebody off the street a whole lot quicker."
OSBI launched its first Rapid DNA Program in January at its Edmond facility.
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The expansion to Tahlequah makes the technology more accessible to law enforcement agencies throughout the region.
“Of the samples that have run in Edmond, they do also include samples that were performed by law enforcement agencies in northeast Oklahoma as well," said Deen. “They have the ability to have that investigative lead information in the front of their investigation in just under two hours, while they might still be waiting on analysis from the lab to be performed.”
All law enforcement agencies in northeast Oklahoma now have access to this advanced crime-fighting technology, potentially accelerating the resolution of cases and helping get criminals off the streets faster.
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