Shelby County needs its own crime lab, leaders say
The Metro Nashville Police Department lab employs 61 people and costs Nashville taxpayers $8 million a year including salaries and benefits. A technician works with a sample at the lab. (Courtesy Metropolitan Nashville Police Department)
State Rep. G.A. Hardaway has introduced a bill proposing a feasibility study for a state-operated crime lab in Shelby County. But he and other state leaders have indicated the state will likely not fund the lab.
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G.A. Hardaway Sara Kyle Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy Brent Taylor Subscriber OnlyThank you for supporting local journalism.
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Julia Baker
Julia Baker covers Memphis and Shelby County’s law enforcement agencies and is a member of The Daily Memphian’s public safety reporting team. A lifelong Memphian, Julia graduated from the University of Memphis in 2021. Other publications and organizations she has written for include Chalkbeat, Memphis Flyer, Memphis Parent magazine and Memphis magazine.
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