At the Jan. 22 meeting of the Berkeley County Council, officials announced that $1 million in funding is officially in place to begin constructing a regional DNA lab in North Charleston that will serve Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties.
Local agencies often have to send DNA evidence to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) when investigating crimes. The state agency, headquartered in Columbia, is notorious for having a backlog of DNA to be tested that often takes several weeks to months. Soon, it will be different.
“This new biological science center will dramatically improve the turnaround time for crime scene and forensic science investigations in Berkeley County and beyond," said Berkeley County Sheriff Duane Lewis. "Processing DNA in a timelier manner will also aid our judicial process and alleviate overcrowding at our jail. We are incredibly grateful and proud of the teamwork on this Charleston County-led initiative and look forward to seeing the positive results of its impact for years to come.”
The Tri-County Biological Science Center will be located at 3765 Leeds Ave. in North Charleston. Construction begins this coming June and is scheduled for completion by 2025. Berkeley County's capital contribution is in line with Dorchester County's $1 million contribution approved in April 2022.
Elected officials say the 10,000-square-foot building for local forensic service will help the backlog of cases choking area court systems.
“We pay a lot of money to house people in our jails waiting on a trial date,” said District 2 Berkeley County Council member Josh Whitley. “A lot of money. Hundreds and hundreds of people per day times the cost per day per inmate. Our backlogs are significant, and part of why they can’t get to trial is because of the backlog at the one DNA lab up in Columbia.”
Soon, when initiating investigations, law enforcement agencies in the tri-county area will be able to process evidence faster with a quicker turnaround on results.
County officials say it helps with the judicial process and the speed to clear cases.
“This is a great partnership with three counties saying they will forge ahead. I think it will pay for itself and be an investment,” Whitley said. "Anything we can do to reduce the stays in our county jails, I promise you, is a good thing. When you have an overcrowded jail, you have medical events, fights and lawsuits, which are not cheap.”
Numbers from the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office show 476 inmates were in jail as of Jan. 25. The numbers also include arrested inmates from departments in Moncks Corner, Goose Creek, the South Carolina Highway Patrol and portions of Summerville.
“As Dorchester County Sheriff, I am proud to see our community taking a proactive stance on forensic services," said Dorchester County Sheriff L.C. Knight. "Dorchester County’s $1 million contribution to the Tri-County Biological Science Center underscores our commitment to advancing the efficiency of DNA testing in the Lowcountry. Together with our regional partners, we are paving the way for a more robust and responsive approach to law enforcement, benefitting the safety and well-being of our citizens.”
Recently, Charleston County officials announced Tom Van Koughnett was hired as the director of the Tri-County Biological Science Center. Van Koughnett, a forensic scientist, will play a significant role in the lab’s building and design process, creating standard operating procedures, hiring staff and establishing policies before the facility is built.
“We appreciate Berkeley County Government’s commitment to this community by contributing to the Tri-County Biological Science Center," said Eric Watson, Charleston County deputy county administrator of public safety. "It will serve as a viable solution to the regional forensic testing needs of the area and provide timely analysis services, which will help speed up the investigative process and provide quicker answers for victim’s families.”
