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March 18, 2008

State lab begins move in to Edmond

James Coburn

EDMOND — The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation began moving into its new OSBI Forensic Science Center on Monday across the street from the University of Central Oklahoma.

An 86,000-square-foot facility, it includes garages for examining cars for crime evidence, a ballistics range and one large crime lab to accommodate investigations involving biology, zoology, firearms/toolmarks. It also will house a drug unit, trace evidence unit and a toxicology unit, said Jessica Brown, OSBI spokesperson.

The state-of-the-art forensics center at 800 E. Second St. will allow for more DNA testing than what was available in the old OSBI lab, Brown said.

About 60 people will work in the facility that has room to expand in the future to accommodate 100 people. About 70,000 square feet of the facility is being put to immediate use.

So not to interrupt case work, each unit is being moved into the facility separately during what is expected to be a month-long process, Brown said. A series of open houses will be scheduled for OSBI employees, lawmakers and law enforcement officials. Limited tours for the public may be announced in the future.

In addition, groundbreaking for the University of Central Oklahoma Forensic Science Institute will be June 18 near the parking lot just west of the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce building. The 30,000-square-foot forensic science training institute will include a forensic cyber crime facility while providing continuing education credits for professionals involved in forensic science.

“They will be bringing people in from all over the country to train in forensic science,” said Janet Yowell, executive director of the Edmond Economic Development Authority.

The cyber crime unit of the institute will work in conjunction with the OSBI Forensic Science Center across the street. “They are one of 10 across the country where they actually solve crimes from computers, cell phones, any kind of electronic device you would have,” Yowell said.



TO LEARN MORE about the OSBI Forensic Science Center, visit www.ok.gov/osbi/Forensic_Laboratory/Forensic_Science_Center/index.html.

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