Drafter
Clerk 08/26/2016
Title
A MOTION accepting a progress report and a final report related to the referral of untested sexual assault kits in the possession of the sheriff's office.
Body
WHEREAS, the state Legislature in 2015 enacted Substitute House Bill 1068, which became Chapter 247, Laws of Washington 2015, to require law enforcement agencies to submit a request for laboratory analysis to the Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory for DNA testing of sexual assault examination kits in the possession of the law enforcement agency, and
WHEREAS, the sheriff's office in July 2015 conducted an audit of its property management unit and found that the number of unreferred sexual assault kits was three hundred and seventy-eight, and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 18110, Section 6, Proviso P3. which amended the 2015/2016 Biennial Budget Ordinance, Ordinance 17941, Section 20, is a $200,000 proviso requiring the sheriff's office to review and refer for testing previously untested sexual assault examination kits, and to send to the council two progress reports, a final report and motions that accepted each of the reports, and
WHEREAS, the sheriff's office requires $50,000 to review and refer all untested kits and to perform potential follow up investigations on kits that yield viable suspects, and
WHEREAS, the sheriff's office submitted in August 2016 a final report that indicates that the agency has referred to the Washington State patrol crime lab all of the sexual assault kits associated with the sheriff's office audit, and
WHEREAS, the council has not accepted any of the reports associated with the 2015/2016 Biennial Budget Ordinance proviso;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
A. The council recognizes that the King County sheriff's office has met the primary intent of the proviso in the 2015/2016 Biennial Budget Ordinance, Ordinance 17941, Section 20, as amended by Ordinance 18110, Section 6, Proviso P3, by submitting one progress repor...
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