DELAWARE STATE POLICE CRIME LAB
Mrs. Julie F. Willey
The Delaware State Police Crime Lab is located on the State Police Headquarters campus in Dover, DE. Since its inception, the lab has provided services for numerous local and municipal police departments, federal agencies, and the Delaware State Police. Under the direction of Mrs. Julie Willey, the Crime Lab is staffed by five civilian employees. The lab is composed of four units specializing in blood and breath alcohol analysis, hairs and fibers analysis, questioned document analysis, and forensic and general photography.
Highlights and/or statistics (if applicable) for the individual units during 2008 are as follows:
Blood and Breath Alcohol: Forensic Chemists, David Sockrider and Julie Willey
Since November 2007, the blood and breath alcohol program was operating at 50% staffing because of the absence of Forensic Chemist, Joy Tengonciang due to unexpected illness. The Crime Lab Director, Julie Willey, assumed the blood and breath alcohol responsibilities for law enforcement agencies within New Castle County; and Dave Sockrider, forensic chemist, is responsible for agencies in Kent and Sussex Counties. In November 2008, the Crime Lab welcomed new forensic chemist, Mrs. Deb Louie. Ms. Louie was assigned to the agencies in Kent and Sussex Counties.
On October 1, 2008, all law enforcement agencies within Delaware began to submit both suspect DUI/alcohol and DUI/drug cases to the DSP Crime Lab for alcohol analysis (except fatal accidents). If a suspect DUI/drug case requires drug toxicology analysis to be completed, the case will be forwarded to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Laboratory in Wilmington, DE. As such, the DSP Crime Lab is the sole state lab performing alcohol analysis in DUI cases as well as the sole state lab responsible for the calibration checks of the intoxilyzer instruments utilized for breath alcohol analysis.
Statistics for 2008 include:
blood alcohol cases: 1,099 intoxilyzer calibration and certifications: 295 intoxilyzer operators trained: 70 intoxilyzer malfunctions and repairs: 29
Questioned Document Unit: Questioned Document Examiner, Georgia Carter
In 2008 Ms. Carter analyzed twenty-five cases including such crimes of identity theft, burglary, prescription forgery, forgery, felony theft, bomb threat, homicide, rape, terroristic threatening, graffiti and insurance fraud. She also prepared for testimony in numerous cases, instructed “Questioned Document Analysis” to students at the DSP Academy and the Attorney General’s Office for the State of Delaware.
Photography Unit: Photographer, Elisa Vassas
During 2008, Ms. Vassas provided 35mm photograph reproductions and transmissions of digital media to provide photographs on behalf of the state to civil, defense, and prosecuting attorneys as well as other state agencies. She also received and filed five hundred and sixty-one photographic CD’s from units utilizing Divisional assigned digital cameras (Evidence Units, Collision Reconstruction Units). Ms. Vassas also photographed studio portraits of numerous retiring troopers and new recruits and provided seven hundred and seven copies of photos for Attorney General’s Office and/or other attorney’s offices.
During 2008, Ms. Vassas took four hundred and eighty-four photographs for the Division including ceremonial photographic assistance, promotional ceremonies, Superintendent’s Special Award, Secretary’s cabinet members, troop commanders’ special requests, Public Information Office, Graphics, DSP Newsletter, awards banquets, Annual Memorial Service, Trooper Youth Week and Governor’s special assignments. She also instructed the “Crime Scene Photography” class to students at the DSP Academy.
Hairs & Fibers Unit - Forensic Microscopist, Julie Willey
During 2008, Ms Willey performed analysis inclusive of homicides, hit and runs, fatal accidents, rape, bank robbery and burglary investigations. Due to the time commitment required for assisting the alcohol program, Ms. Willey continues to work on outstanding hair and fiber cases prioritizing based upon trial date. She also prepared for testimony in numerous cases and instructed “Hair and Fiber Analysis” to students at the DSP Academy.
Crime Lab Director - Julie Willey
As Crime Lab Director, Julie Willey has many different responsibilities. As described above, she is currently the forensic chemist responsible for the blood analysis and breath alcohol instruments in New Castle County. She likewise researches and works closely with the Attorney General’s Office in an attempt to make enhancements to the blood and breath alcohol program. She has written and managed an Office of Highway Safety grant specifically to benefit the blood and breath alcohol program. Another responsibility is the chemist responsible for the calibration checks of the Delaware National Guard’s Ionscan instruments. Julie performed twenty-four calibration checks of the instruments to assure they are properly detecting drugs.
The Crime Lab Director is also responsible for the purchase and distribution of criminalistic supplies to the entire Division including; supplies such as evidence envelopes, fingerprint powder and fingerprint brushes which are sent to the troops on a weekly basis upon request. Restocking likewise needs to occur so responsible purchasing of said products occurs throughout the year. Included within the realm of criminalistic supplies, Ms. Willey has ordered supplies for and constructed buccal swab collection kits for DNA collection solely for use by DSP until such time that such kits are available from the DNA lab at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Another criminalistic supply which is purchased and used by the sexual assault nurse examiners throughout hospitals statewide are rape kits. Ms. Willey coordinates with the sexual assault nurse examiners and the Attorney General’s Office the review and changes to the State of Delaware Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit. She likewise obtains funding for the purchase of these kits. The DSP Crime Lab has secured funding to provide for minimal laboratory improvements (hood replacement and construction). This is a result of research and review of improvement plans throughout the year, with actual construction scheduled to occur in 2009. The Crime Lab Director is also Cost Center Manager. As such, she is responsible for the funding allocated to the Crime Lab cost center. Creative funding opportunities are constantly sought (grants, etc.) to incur the cost of the Crime Lab cost center expenses.
Due to the popularity of currently televised forensic shows, Ms. Willey has been requested to speak to various groups on the topic of forensic science. She has delivered numerous presentations regarding careers in forensics at the request of elementary, middle, high schools, colleges and libraries.
- Information obtained from 2008 DSP Annual Report -
