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Date: 10/29/13 Revision: 11/03/23 Reviewed: 11/03/23 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE CHAD CHRONISTER , SHERIFF STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE Number: GEN 504.25 Page : 1 of 10 SUBJECT: LODI S (LOCAL OFFENDER DNA INDEX SYSTEM) I. PURPOSE : The purpose of this standard operating procedure is to establish guidelines for the collection, secure storage , and processing of DNA evidence and refe rence swabs , as it applies to the LODIS (Local Offender DNA Index System). II. SCOPE : This procedure shall apply to all Sheriff’s Office personnel responsible for the collection, handling, storage , and/or processing o f DNA evidence and/or reference swabs for the LODIS system. III. DISCUSSION : It is the intent of the Sheriff’s Office to establish a procedure for the collection, processing, and preservation of DNA evidence . This policy will guide Sheriff’s Office personne l in the proper way to collect, process, store, preserv e, and submit DNA evidence and reference samples. Success of the LODIS rests with the establishment of a comprehensive database with offenders ’ DNA standards and the selective processing of DNA eviden ce collected during criminal investigatio ns. It shall be the responsibility of all Sheriff’s Office personnel to exercise discretion when contacting potential offenders and other persons of interest during criminal investigations, routine patrol activitie s, Street Checks, and other citizen conta cts in order t o determine the necessity of obtaining a bu ccal swab for entry into the LODIS database. In order to ensure positive identification of arrestees and develop a comprehensive LODIS for use in criminal in vestigations , the Sheriff’s Office will o btain a DNA sw ab from arrestees during the booking proces s. IV. DEFINITIONS : A. Buccal Swab - A swab obtained by using a cotton -tipped applicator to rub inside a person’s mou th on the inside cheek area in order to obtain a sample of cells for use in DNA ana lysis. Buccal swabs are a relatively non -invasive way to collect DNA samples for testing. Buccal means cheek or mouth. B. CODIS (Combined DNA Indexing System) - CODIS is a DNA databas e managed and funded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). It is a computer system that stores DNA profil es created by federal, state, and local crime laboratories in the United States with the ability to search the database to assis t in th e identification of suspects in crimes and missing persons. C. Consent - The voluntary cooperation of an individua l to perform or agr ee to comply with a request by law enforcement . D. DNA - Deoxyribo nucleic acid is a molec ule carrying genetic information which , when properly ana lyzed , may identify the individual from whom it came. With the exception of identical twins, a person’s DNA is unique to that person. E. DNA Labs International (DLI) - A private labo ratory located in Deerfield Beach, Florida , that the Sheriff’s Office has contracted with to provide Forensic DNA Laboratory Services for the purpose of obtaining DNA profiles and the maintenance of a local DNA indexing database. GEN 504.25 11/03 /23 Page 2 of 10 F. DNA Profile - A pattern resulting f rom DNA analysis that shows the pairing of bases along the DNA strand at specific poi nts, or loci. Typically, a complete profile within the LODIS system is based on the arrangement of these base pai rs at 15 of these points. G. Evidence Swa b - A swab obt ained by using a cotton -tipped applicator to rub the surface of an item/area of evidence related to a crime or crime scene in an effort to obtain a DNA sample. H. Hit Notification - A notificatio n to inform the appropriate section/ district investigations supervisor that during a search of DNA Labs International Combined International DNA Database (CIDD), a hit occurred within the database. “Cold Hits” are DNA hits that are developed when there is no suspect information in the case. This pr eliminary noti fication does not const itute an official DLI report and is for investigative purposes only. An official DLI final case report will be issued upon the completion of the conf irmation results. I. Known DNA Sample - A DNA sample that is directly obtained fr om a subject . This could be with consent , under the au thority of a court order , or as a part of the booking process . This is normally accomplished via a b uccal swab by swabbing the inside of the subject ’s mouth along the cheeks. Known samp les are packag ed in manila envelopes. J. LODIS (Local Offender DNA Indexing System) - A database owned and managed by the Sheriff’s Office consisting of DNA profiles obtained f rom evidence (crime scene) swabs , reference (individual /suspect) swabs , and arrestees during the booking process . K. LODIS Administrator s - Person s designated to update users ’ information i n the LODIS software system and to add/delete employee access