Division of Forensic Services

The Division of Forensic Services (DFS) is an entity of the Nassau County Office of the Medical Examiner (NCOME) which is headed by the Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Tamara Bloom. The DFS encompasses four distinct sections, Biology, Latent Print, Chemistry, and Firearms which make up the NCOME Crime Laboratory. The laboratory is accredited in the field of Forensic Testing in the disciplines listed below by the New York State Commission of Forensic Science and ANSI National Accreditation Board. The laboratory has fulfilled the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2017, ANAB Forensic Testing & Calibration AR 3125:2023, and the FBI Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories:2020. The Quality Assurance program oversees all sections and assures laboratory management, analysts/examiners, and laboratory customers that documented standards for quality are being attained.

Mission Statement

The mission of the NCOME DFS is to supply the criminal justice system and community of Nassau County with a state-of-the-art forensic testing facility. The laboratory’s technical operations and overall management system conform to the requirements of the ANAB® Forensic Science Testing Accreditation Program, the FBI Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories, and the National DNA Index System (NDIS). The laboratory will conduct scientific analysis on evidence related to criminal and civil investigations within the scope of the laboratory’s accreditation. These analyses will be conducted independently and objectively, to provide accurate, reliable, and timely results to the legal system of Nassau County. To comply with the laboratory’s mission, the DFS will ensure accurate and reliable results through its Quality Assurance program.

Information for Submitting Agencies

• The Division of Forensic Services crime laboratory will accept evidence submitted by law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, or the Medical Examiner’s Office.
• The laboratory does not provide analysis for private citizens or civil litigations.
• Evidence can be submitted through the Nassau County Police Department Evidence Management Unit to the laboratory between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. An appointment should be scheduled with the evidence accessioning supervisor prior to evidence delivery.
• The Division of Forensic Services crime laboratory is responsible for determining the appropriate test methods utilized for analysis.
• Information may be provided periodically to the criminal justice system who have a need and right to know.  All other information is considered proprietary information and shall be regarded as confidential, except while conducting official departmental business or unless a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) is requested.
• Customers utilizing laboratory services acknowledge the following in relation to the format of the laboratory report Simplified Reports 

Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)

The Division of Forensic Services utilizes the Porter Lee Corporation Crime Fighter Bar Coded Evidence Analysis Statistics and Tracking (BEAST) Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). The system supports a web portal which can be accessed by the laboratory’s user agencies through the Nassau County Government intranet. Use of this module is reserved for official use only. The BEAST Web Portal enables electronic inquiry of the following case related information:

• Assigned Analyst
• Confirmation of Evidence Receipt and Date of Receipt
• List of Items Accepted for Analysis
• Case Exam Status (Pending / Complete / Admin Closed)
• Expected Case Completion Date (Target Date)
• Electronic Report Requests