Storage of Biological Evidence
The Department of Public Safety in collaboration with other criminal justice stakeholders has established “Best Practices for Collection, Storage, Preservation, and Retrieval of Biological Evidence” which can be found in the Customer Handbook (Crime Laboratory Division Manual). These best practices relate to the statutory requirements provided under Article 38.43 Code of Criminal Procedure for the storage of biological evidence and illustrate types of biological evidence, manner of collection, considerations for preservation, and disposition.
Law enforcement agencies and other criminal justice entities from counties with a population less than 100,000 can deliver for long-term storage biological evidence or bio-evidence to the Department of Public Safety’s evidence storage facility in Houston. (see also Government Code 411.053)
Instructions
Please follow the recommendations for packaging biological evidence in the Best Practices Document found at this website. A complete Biological Evidence Storage Form (LAB-204) is required with each submission.
- Agencies are encouraged to store the evidence locally until the conclusion of trial and a punishment is known.
- Please include a calculated date for when the sentence or judgement will be completed.
- For large evidentiary items, please make an appointment with the laboratory to submit in person.
Ship or deliver to this address:
Bio-Evidence Storage
DPS Crime Laboratory, Building C
12230 West Road
Houston, TX 77065-4523
Contact Information
For questions, call (281) 517-1380 or email HoustonCrimeLab@dps.texas.gov