Mar ’26 Newsletter
About the Lab
The Forensic Laboratories provides services in six disciplines – Digital Evidence, Firearms, Forensic Chemistry, Fire Debris, Forensic Biology/DNA, and Latent Prints
Drug Evidence Handling
The Onondaga County Center for Forensic Sciences (CFS) follows strict procedures for the handling, storage, and documentation of evidence to ensure safety, accuracy, and chain of custody. All substances are treated as potentially hazardous, requiring appropriate protective equipment and precautions. Casework is prioritized based on public safety and court needs, with court-related cases taking precedence. Evidence must be properly sealed, verified against submission records, and carefully documented upon receipt, with any discrepancies resolved, recorded, and, when necessary, verified by a second staff member.
Seized drug evidence should be submitted for analysis when needed to support investigations or prosecutions, including when field testing is unavailable or inconclusive, with the purpose clearly noted at submission. Certain items, such as hypodermic syringes, require prior approval, and field test kits should not be submitted or used on evidence due to contamination risks. Packaging may be considered for latent print or DNA analysis only in limited circumstances, with item limits in place unless approved. When practicable, outer packaging should be submitted separately to preserve evidence integrity and support accurate analysis.
Simplified Reporting
The Forensic Laboratories operate under ISO/IEC 17025 (2017), General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories, and ANAB ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Forensic Science Testing and Calibration Laboratories Accreditation Requirements. Per these standards, each laboratory report will include specific information; however, when agreed upon with the customer, results may be reported in a simplified manner.
To provide customers with timely and easily understood laboratory reports, the CFS Laboratories limit the inclusion of certain information within the report. The applicable information not included is available to the customer upon request. The required report elements and the laboratory’s method of compliance are outlined in the table to the right.
By submitting evidence to the CFS Laboratories, your agency accepts this simplified reporting format. If you have any questions or concerns with how the laboratory is meeting this requirement, please contact the Director of Laboratories.
Laboratory Compliance with Requirement
- ISO 17025:2017 – 7.8.2.1 F)– The specific methods used will be documented in the case record.
- ISO 17025:2017 – 7.8.2.1 h) and 7.8.5 a) – The date of receipt of the test item(s) and the dates of sampling will be documented in the case record. The location of sampling is the Center for Forensic Sciences – Laboratories.
- ISO 17025:2017 – 7.8.2.1 i) – The dates of testing will be documented in the case record.
- ISO 17025:2017 – 7.8.2.1 n) – By submitting evidence to the laboratory, the customer agrees to any additions, deviations, or exclusions from laboratory methods. If these occur, they will be documented in the case record.