Committee approves amended audit of CBI forensic services after excluding cases tied to ongoing criminal prosecution

The Legislative Audit Committee approved May 27 a revised scope for an audit of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s Forensic Services Section. The Office of the State Auditor will examine CBI’s backlog and lengthy turnaround time for processing sexual‑assault kits and DNA cases, and identify best practices for timely testing, but will not conduct audit work that would touch evidence or staff testimony in an ongoing criminal prosecution tied to a former CBI employee.

OSA staff told the committee that after the March scoping the Department of Public Safety and the first judicial district’s district attorney raised concerns that audit interviews and document reviews focused on the former employee’s cases could generate evidence relevant to the pending criminal case. OSA consulted the Attorney General’s Office and agreed to remove from the audit scope any testing, investigative review, or detailed case work tied to those specific cases, including direct interview work that could create new evidentiary material.

Representative Wilford, who requested the original audit, said the revised scope remains important because long turnaround times—auditors previously documented delays of many hundreds of days for sexual‑assault evidence—“re‑traumatize” survivors and undermine justice. The amended audit will focus on systemic factors that create backlog, staffing and IT limitations, how CBI and local agencies prioritize evidence, and national practice for addressing timely testing. The committee approved the amended scope by roll call (7 ayes, 1 excused). OSA will proceed under the revised scope and report to the committee on schedule.