Pride, purpose and partnership: 10-year anniversary of the crime lab

“The people who work here each feel a deep tie to their communities and a desire to do their best in their work, which is reflected in the number of cases we’ve helped with since we’ve opened in 2013,” said Daren Ford, who’s served as director of the NCRFL since 2019. “We’ve had some really big cases over the years, and the pride for me comes when we’ve had an impact on a case, be it an acquittal or conviction. Knowing we had a hand in solving a case, bringing closure, it’s special to be part of that and a reflection of our hard work.”

That hard work that has proved beneficial to so many over the last decade was born out of a vision from past Weld County Commissioners, past Weld County Sheriff John Cooke, current Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams and Ron Arndt, who was the director of the lab prior to Ford.

Ten years ago, with the entire northern Colorado region growing, the idea of building a regional forensic laboratory came from the need to increase the efficiency of evidence processing by taking some of the burden off the Colorado Bureau of Investigations (CBI), who was responsible for processing evidence not only for northern Colorado but the state as a whole. To make the NCRFL a reality, the Weld County Board of Commissioners allocated nearly $4 million toward its construction, while Sheriff Reams also helped secure federal funding for the lab’s creation. To make the lab as beneficial as possible to northern Colorado residents, Sheriff Cooke and Sheriff Reams worked to forge partnerships with six entities throughout the region — the Weld County Sheriff’s Office, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Collins Police Department, Greeley Police Department, Loveland Police Department and CBI. The goal of these partnerships was to allow each entity to process evidence in one central location, with the aim of eliminating delay at the state level.

The process of evidence collection and analysis is in-depth and can range from testing drug-related material, DNA and forensic material, ballistics and firearms and digital media. With so much involved and so many agencies working together, there was no certainty or guarantee that partnerships would even work.

From the early days of the NCRFL, however, the partnerships have not only worked but they have flourished. Since the lab opened in 2013, evidence has been processed for more than 13,000 cases, with the impact being shown in some high-profile cases.

“One case comes to mind and that would be the Eastman double homicide in 2020,” Ford said, explaining how different agencies worked together. “One victim was killed in Larimer County and the other here in Weld County. That case was very complex and required multiple disciplines to process all the evidence. Fingerprints and biology were all used to successfully prosecute the defendant.”

This type of teamwork may be notable in Ford’s mind, but others say continued collaboration is more the norm in day-to-day duties than the exception.

“Teamwork is so integral to what we do. This is particularly evident in large, complex, rush cases, like unsolved homicides, where three or more disciplines need to work sequentially on the same pieces of evidence to provide timely investigative leads,” said Jodie Callen, a forensic biologist with the CBI, who’s worked in the NCRFL for nine years.

Given the important task required of the NCRFL staff, it would be expected if the mood inside the 20,000 square foot facility was stern or overly serious. Instead, Ford has made it a point to break down the high-stress environment with casual conversation on a Friday morning. This is echoed by the upbeat chatter of those new to the lab and currently in training to make their own impact.

The comradery is well received and is part of what keeps those in the lab eager to continue working on behalf of Weld County residents. More motivation, however, is found in knowing what the true impact of their work can bring.

“Most adults spend a majority of their time at their place of employment, and to have such an inviting and happy environment to spend each day is a rare quality to find in any job,” said Michelle Podhirny, a member of the Weld County Sheriff’s Office, who’s worked as a criminologist in the latent prints department of the lab for two and a half years. “The thing that makes me the most proud of the work we do in the lab is knowing that we are playing a small role in helping to find truth and justice for the victims that we serve. Being a piece of the puzzle that brings those victims answers and closure is extremely rewarding.”

A large segment of the Weld County region was settled by people of German descent who migrated from Russia in the early 1900's. Originally, they came as railroad workers, many of which soon worked in the productive beet fields and eventually became prosperous landowners. Find out more about the county’s beginnings at https://history.weldgov.com/County-150.

The Department of Human Services provides residents with many different services. Be sure to read the next issue of our County Government 101 series where we take a deeper, by the numbers look at the impact of these services nationwide as well as throughout Weld County.