35-3-151. Responsibilities.

The Division of Forensic Sciences of the bureau:

Shall provide a state-wide system of laboratories dedicated to conducting forensic analysis of evidence submitted to the laboratory by law enforcement agencies, prosecuting attorneys, coroners, and medical examiners;#

Shall provide forensic services to the criminal justice system for the examination and analysis of evidence in the areas of medical examiner inquiries, latent fingerprints, photography, questioned documents, firearms and weapons, trace evidence, implied consent, blood alcohol, toxicology, chemistry, drugs, serology, DNA, and such other areas as the director may authorize or the board shall direct;#

Shall establish standards for the identification, collection, transportation, and analysis of forensic evidence;#

Shall facilitate independent testing or analysis of evidence within the possession, custody, or control of the division as provided in paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of Code Section 17-16-4, relating to discovery in criminal cases;#

Shall provide for and establish uniform fees as approved by the board to be paid to medical examiners, dentists, and other professionals for participating in medical examiners’ inquiries or coroners’ inquests pursuant to Article 2 of Chapter 16 of Title 45, known as the “Georgia Death Investigation Act”;#

May assist in the training of law enforcement officers, prosecuting attorneys, coroners, and medical examiners as it relates to forensic sciences in cooperation with the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of the State of Georgia, and the Georgia Coroner’s Training Council, as appropriate; and#

May assist in the training of judges and attorneys as it relates to forensic sciences in cooperation with the Institute of Continuing Judicial Education of Georgia and the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, as appropriate.#