Rapid DNA Tool Part of Public Safety Package for Attorney General

Published: May 16th, 2024

By: Sasha Lenninger

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —

A special session for the New Mexico Legislature is set to start in July. According to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, this session will tackle public safety.

Thursday, Attorney General Raul Torrez announced three items he would like Lujan Grisham to include in the session.

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"New Mexico is the most violent and most dangerous state in the country," said Torrez. "This is something that we have the power to change, the power to control."

Torrez wants lawmakers to fund a rapid DNA analysis tool and software for law enforcement.

"The current backlog at the state lab and in other facilities sometimes means that DNA, evidence can wait five, six, seven months, sometimes up to a year before it's actually analyzed," said Torrez. "That's a disservice to victims ... It makes the job of law enforcement much more difficult."

Watch the news clip HERE