MONROE, N.C. — The Union County Sheriff’s Office says its crime lab has already cleared a backlog for certain DWI cases, which has an impact felt across the region.
The Union County Crime Lab can now test for drugs in the blood of suspected impaired drivers.
“Within the first two, two-and-half weeks, I think we’ve already analyzed 80 cases that were awaiting analysis for blood drugs,” said Chief Dep. Tony Underwood, Union County Sheriff’s Office.
The new accreditation at the Union County Sheriff’s Office adds to the existing blood alcohol analysis.
In 2024, the crime lab analyzed over 240 cases of blood alcohol. The average turnaround time for results was five days.
Underwood said in the past, results from the state crime lab could take months.
“We have seen alleged offenders who’ve been arrested and pending in the court system that we have arrested again for a similar offense,” Underwood said.
Union County District Attorney Trey Robison says they’ve seen an uptick in drivers impaired by drugs over the past few years. It’s good to have local experts, he said.
“It has helped us move cases to disposition quicker,” Robison said.
Underwood said, “We’ve opened it up to other agencies in the county, Monroe PD, Waxhaw, Stalling, some of the other agencies, Marshall and Wingate, they’ve sent their cases here.”
The crime lab currently has two full-time staff members.
With the additional work on the new accreditations, the sheriff’s office is asking the county to fund the hiring of two additional chemists in the upcoming budget process.
In 2023, the crime lab was also accredited for fingerprint comparisons.
In addition to the drug blood testing, personnel can also analyze drugs seized by law enforcement. The sheriff’s office says the next step is to look into possible rapid DNA technology.
VIDEO: INSIDE LOOK: Union County crime lab’s crucial role in putting criminals behind bars quicker
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