The Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services Agency, (I-MCFSA) provides local law enforcement agencies with forensic laboratory services. Established in 1985 by city-county ordinance, the I-MCFSA became a separate county agency. The laboratory assists Marion County police agencies in the examination and reconstruction of crime scenes for the purpose of recognition, collection, preservation and identification of physical evidence. The Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services Agency (I-MCFSA) shall provide the law enforcement agencies with forensic laboratory services; firearms and toolmark comparisons; questioned document examinations; serology and DNA examinations; latent fingerprint comparisons; instrumental analysis (i.e., drugs, accelerants) microscopic comparisons; evidence recovery and preservation; and photography and video services. The I-MCFSA furnishes expert testimony in these areas when requested by these agencies and will provide prompt, accurate and thorough responses to all requests. I-MCFSA will strive to maintain a work environment, which fosters open communication, creativity, individual initiative, and personal achievement.
In 1985, the laboratory staff totaled eleven, today, fifty-two employees work in the lab. The laboratory sought and received nationally recognized American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD) accreditation in 2001 for the quality systems in place throughout the laboratory.
While figures are not available for the caseloads witnessed in 1985, recent increases in technology and capabilities resulted in 14,348 submissions of evidence to the lab in 2004.
This figure is rising at the rate of 18% per year.