Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele with the Vollmer Award.
(The following information was provided by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.)
The prestigious 2021 August Vollmer Award for Leadership in Forensic Science by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) was recently presented to the Philadelphia Police Department, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office and the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office for the creation of the innovative regional Delaware Valley Investigative DNA Database (DVIDD).
Accepting the award at an award’s luncheon in Philadelphia were District Attorney Kevin Steele, Bucks County Chief County Detective Martin McDonough, Bensalem Director of Public Safety Fred Harran, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw and Philadelphia Police Office of Forensic Science Director Michael Garvey. Previous Vollmer Awards in 2019 and 2020 went to the Dubai Police in the United Arab Emirates and in 2018 to the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Crime Laboratory Services.
This international award recognized the significance of the Delaware Valley Investigative DNA Database, which was created in 2019 when representatives of Montgomery, Bucks and Philadelphia Counties met to discuss the possibility of creating a regional DNA database that could augment the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Knowing how powerful and reliable DNA evidence is, the three counties, under the supervision of the Philadelphia Police Department’s Office of Forensic Services, connected their respective Rapid DNA test instruments, which meant results were immediately available to all DVIDD partners. Communicating real-time investigative DNA leads is important for both including suspects and excluding people from suspicion of criminal activity. This actionable intelligence now guides and forwards investigations by DVIDD partners.
In announcing the DVIDD as the winner of the prestigious award, the IACP wrote, “this partnership of law enforcement and crime laboratories, looking for ways to solve problems while remaining within the confines of appropriate rules and regulations, is impactful and trendsetting.”
“Our Montgomery County Detective Bureau is one of the best in the country,” said Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele. “The Detective Bureau is continually making advances and working with our regional law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of all of our communities. I couldn’t be prouder of their work in the area of DNA usage in criminal investigations and am very honored to accept this award.”
More information on the IACP August Vollmer Leadership in Forensic Science Award is available here.
