Shelby County officials are moving into a planning phase to speed up and modernize forensic DNA work in local criminal cases, leaning on rapid DNA technology and expanded digital forensics. County leaders say the first move is a partnership with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson crime lab, while a consultant sketches out a roadmap for a broader countywide rollout.
We have partnered with @ShelbyCountyDA Steve Mulroy to bring together local law enforcement partners to develop countywide Rapid DNA and digital forensics capabilities. This collaborative effort will help investigators increase solve rates, reduce case backlogs, and identify, or rule out, suspects quicker.
— Mayor Lee Harris (@MayorLeeHarris) June 25, 2026
According to Action News 5, this planning step follows a resolution the Shelby County Commission approved in May to grow the county’s forensic muscle. The resolution hires David Jackson, doing business as Jackson Forensics Consulting, to collect data and deliver an implementation plan for rapid DNA and countywide digital forensics capacity, with contract procurement documents setting a maximum payment and describing the term of work. Scribd shows the procurement language and the spending authorization.
How Rapid DNA and Digital Forensics Work
Rapid DNA automates the production of a DNA profile from a cheek swab in roughly one to two hours, which allows near real-time comparisons under approved laboratory conditions, according to guidance from the FBI. The FBI notes that strict quality assurance standards and laboratory oversight must be in place before Rapid DNA results can be searched in CODIS.
Officials say that shifting some testing closer to home and building digital forensics capacity should ease pressure on state labs and speed up investigations. The City of Memphis has already worked with the TBI to station forensic scientists focused on Memphis cases, a signal of how heavily the Jackson lab is being tapped.
Funding and the Roadmap
The Shelby County Board of Commissioners signed off last year on $1.5 million in initial recurring funds to launch a locally operated crime lab, and local partners pledged additional equipment support. The DA’s office has described the future facility as focusing on rapid DNA, ballistics and cell phone forensics in an effort to drive up solve rates.
The May resolution also authorizes up to $70,000 for a consultant to develop a governance and implementation roadmap, an initial three-month term with an option to renew, to guide the county as it builds rapid DNA and digital forensics capability. Contractor and appropriation details are listed in public records on Scribd.
Regulatory Guardrails and Concerns
Rapid DNA’s quick turnaround is attractive for detectives, but experts warn that careful validation, a tight chain of custody, and strong oversight are critical to avoid mistakes and safeguard privacy. The FBI’s Rapid DNA framework, updated in 2025, lays out accreditation and interpretation requirements for forensic use, and civil liberties researchers have pressed for clear, public rules before the technology is rolled out widely. Reviews from the Policing Project highlight those limitations and the need for guardrails.
What Comes Next
The consultant is expected to produce a roadmap that will help Shelby County move from pilot projects into full operations, and the initial contract cited in the resolution runs through November 30, 2026, unless it is renewed. Mayor Lee Harris has said the partnership with District Attorney Steve Mulroy aims to “increase solve rates, reduce case backlogs, and identify, or rule out, suspects quicker,” a message he reiterated on social media. Action News 5 reported that the initiative remains in its first phase.
