DECATUR – Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vernon Keenan is pleased to announce that the Chemistry Section of the GBI Crime Lab has been presented with the 2009 August Vollmer Excellence in Forensic Science Award from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). 

The award was presented last night at the Annual IACP Conference in Denver, Colorado.

 IACP, the largest and oldest non-profit law enforcement organization in the world, established the August Vollmer Excellence in Forensic Science Award to honor the proactive, innovative use of forensic technologies by law enforcement.

The award was given based on the success of the marijuana training program developed and coordinated by the Chemistry Section for local law enforcement agencies in Georgia. Currently, there are over 1600 officers in Georgia certified by the GBI Crime Laboratory to test marijuana.  These 1600 officers analyze marijuana seized in their jurisdictions and testify in their local communities.  Because of this program, marijuana cases move through the court system more rapidly than other controlled substance cases.  The Laboratory has seen a 98% reduction of marijuana cases tested.  This reduction has permitted drug scientists to concentrate their efforts on more serious drug cases resulting in better service to the criminal justice community in Georgia.

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Contact Information:

John Bankhead - 404-270-8330