Douglas County Commissioners voted unanimously to formalize the 23rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office’s participation in the Unified Forensic Laboratory.

The UFL provides DNA analysis and other laboratory services to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, Aurora Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and Colorado’s 18th Judicial District.

Under the agreement approved March 10, the DA’s office, which includes Douglas, Lincoln and Elbert counties, will fund a full‑time DNA analyst and receive a seat on the UFL board.

Dan McMillan, investigations division chief with the DCSO, highlighted the UFL’s recent findings that linked DNA samples in the Rhonda Fisher cold case to serial killer Vincent Groves.

“This was a decades-old homicide with no clear leads left to pursue,” McMillan said. “This kind of outcome demonstrates the value of shared forensic resources, experienced analysts, and consistent regional collaboration.”

McMillan told commissioners that District Attorney George Brauchler supported the agreement.

The UFL facility was completed in 2018 to improve turnaround times for forensic work previously submitted to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

Douglas County Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle said that the state’s DNA testing backlog has been an issue for years.

“This has been an ongoing issue, really since the birth of the 23rd Judicial District,” Van Winkle said. “Victims shouldn’t have to wait for justice.”

In 2024, the CBI was embroiled in an ongoing scandal involving improper evidence handling and testing by a former analyst, which contributed to a 500-day turnaround time for DNA tests. According to the CBI’s tracking dashboard, on Feb. 28, the average turnaround time for sexual assault test kits was 194 days.

Commissioner Abe Laydon said the agreement reinforced Douglas County’s investment in public safety.

“This is a place where proactive policing occurs, where evidence does not sit on the shelves,” Laydon said.