The National Institute of Justice awarded the Sheriff’s Department a $295,742 grant for solving “Cold Cases” with DNA, Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens announced Wednesday. The grant will benefit Mission Viejo, as Orange County Sheriff’s homicide and cold case investigators serve the City.
The grant selection process was one of the most competitive to date, and the award was credited to the high caliber of the Department’s forensic scientists and investigators available for the program.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department has already cleared cold case homicides as a result of its comprehensive investigation and additional tests using new DNA technology. The Cold Case Investigators typically use DNA collected at the crime scene to determine if it matches any individuals in the state or national database.
The new award will allow Sheriff’s Department investigators to expand the Cold Case program to help solve violent crimes other then homicides. This funding and the associated essential resources will bring closure to victims and their families and prevent these violent crimes from causing additional ongoing emotional distress.
“The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is proud to accept this grant which was awarded after a highly selective process,” Hutchens said.
“It is a credit to the investigators and forensic scientists who help make this Department so successful.”
