Audit: Colorado Bureau of Investigation�DNA backlog fell after outsourcing; auditors recommend clearer workload guidance and staffing supports

The Legislative Audit Committee on a unanimous vote released a performance audit of the Colorado Bureau of Investigations Forensic Services section on Wednesday that found large DNA backlogs have declined sharply after a large outsourcing effort, but that sustaining faster turnaround will require written workload guidance, more management and dedicated training roles, and improved information systems.

Auditors told the committee that CBIs backlog of DNA cases peaked at more than 20,500 cases around June 2024 and had fallen to roughly 1,500 by the end of 2025; the backlog of cases related to sexual assault kits dropped to about 600. ‘‘CBI has set an internal goal for 90 days for all DNA testing, including for sexual assault kits,’’ auditor Hudson Marsh said during the presentation.

Why it matters: long delays in DNA testing can stall investigations and prosecutions and prolong uncertainty for survivors. Auditors reported that the rapid decline in turnaround times is largely the result of outsourcing hundreds of cases to private labs, and that CBIs publicly reported metrics do not always reflect progress from those contracting efforts because the metrics are lagging indicators.

Auditors said the $3 million appropriation approved by the Joint Budget Committee in early 2025 was used to contract with private labs for testing. ‘‘The $3,000,000 appropriation was specifically for outsourcing cases to vendors,’’ audit supervisor Heidi Wagner said, adding that the contracts reviewed showed an outsourced testing cost of about $2,000 per case. Deputy Director Lance Allen told the panel that the vendor price typically covers only testing; additional costs such as discovery, expert preparation and testimony add to total case expense.

The audit concluded that CBI is following a reasonable plan to reduce backlog and has made significant progress, but identified key risks: scientist turnover (training a DNA scientist takes about two years), variable demand from local labs that can shift burden to CBI, uneven understanding among scientists about productivity expectations, a need for additional managers and training positions, and limitations in the laboratory information management system (LIMS). Auditors recommended CBI (1) continue monitoring backlog and risks and request resources when needed, (2) create written guidance that clarifies how many cases scientists are expected to test, and (3) assess the need for additional management and training roles and develop a plan to address them.

CBI and DPS response: Stan Hilkey, executive director of the Department of Public Safety, and Armando Saldate III, CBI director, thanked auditors and said CBI accepts the recommendations. ‘‘We agree with all of them and look forward to continued progress and excellence in this matter,’’ Hilkey said. Deputy Director Lance Allen said CBI expects to meet its internal 90-day goal sooner than originally projected and described steps taken to upgrade the LIMS and formalize staffing-monitoring processes.

Whats next: committee members asked CBI and auditors to provide follow-up written materials including a clearer breakdown of appropriations and grant use since FY23, a fuller accounting of per-case costs where possible, and estimates of the staffing and funding needed to reach the 60-day statutory goal. Auditors noted that reaching 60 days would require a significant and sustained increase in staffing and that CBI currently lacks funded positions dedicated to training.

The committee released the audit without opposition and asked for continued oversight and written follow-up from the agency and audit staff.