DC Department of Forensic Sciences

12/02/2020

DFS held its annual awards ceremony today recognizing all employees who have worked at the lab throughout the #coronavirus pandemic with the Pandemic Response Award. #dcforensics

11/19/2020

coronavirus.dc.gov

As COVID-19 cases increase nationwide, protect your family: limit exposure to other people, require all guests in your home to wear a mask, and practice good hygiene.
💻 Signs available here: bit.ly/dcsignage

11/06/2020

Scientific Justice: Solving Crimes in “The People’s Lab”

This week, DFS joined the National Law Enforcement Museum to discuss how scientists can pursue a career in forensics. #dcforensics
📲 Watch here: https://youtu.be/TZTai5xLLXg

Washington, DC, is home to roughly 27 Law Enforcement agencies with overlapping jurisdictions, which often require cross-agency collaboration to solve the ne...

11/03/2020

The DFS Public Health Lab began #COVID19 testing eight months ago. To date, more than 100,000 tests have been performed. #coronavirus

11/01/2020

This year, masks aren’t just for Halloween. #maskup

10/29/2020

Bats are one of the most common animals sent to the DFS Public Health Lab for rabies testing. 1 out of 4 specimens submitted is a bat. #dcforensics #halloween

10/22/2020

This year, the annual DFS #PurpleThursday group photo is replaced with a group of purple ribbons worn by employees to raise awareness and support survivors of domestic violence. #spreadlovedc

10/20/2020

By opting-in to the DC COVID Alert Notice – a free exposure notification system – you can learn if you’ve been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. To learn more, visit coronavirus.dc.gov/dccan. #coronavirus

10/18/2020

You may be eligible for a free cancer screening. Learn more at dchealth.dc.gov. #breastcancerawareness

10/02/2020

If you feel sick or were exposed to COVID-19, the first thing you should do is call your doctor. If the doctor can’t get you in for a test, visit one of our public testing sites. Then, quarantine while you wait for your results. #coronavirus

09/22/2020

DFS Director Dr. Jenifer Smith recognizes forensic scientists during National Forensic Science Week. #NFSW #dcforensics

09/21/2020

National Forensic Science Week recognizes the important role forensic science plays in public safety, from exonerating the innocent to identifying the guilty. #NFSW #dcforensics

09/03/2020

The DC Public Health Lab began COVID-19 testing six months ago. DFS scientists have performed more than 63,000 tests since March 2nd. #coronavirus

08/26/2020

Erin Price is a DFS Crime Scene Shift Supervisor. She oversees a team of 10 forensic scientists working to enhance public safety in the District. #dcforensics #womensequalityday

08/24/2020

The DC Public Health Lab has performed more than 50,000 COVID-19 tests and 7,000 antibody tests since early March when testing began.

08/13/2020

dfs.dc.gov

DFS is always looking ahead. In Fiscal Year 2019, with the support of Mayor Bowser and The Council of the District of Columbia, the agency had the foresight to invest in state-of-the-art science to respond to the invisible threats that endanger our community. #dcforensics #TBT
📂 Read the DFS FY19 Annual Report here: dfs.dc.gov

08/10/2020

Wear your face mask correctly to protect yourself and others. #coronavirus

08/06/2020

Mayor Bowser Marks 200,000 Completed Coronavirus Tests in DC | coronavirus

DC completes 200,000 COVID-19 tests. The DFS Public Health Lab performed more than 40,000. #coronavirus

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the District’s coronavirus (COVID-19) data includes 202,825 completed COVID-19 tests. The District is operating free COVID-19 testing at public sites and at neighborhood firehouses across DC. In addition, the District has partnered wit...

07/24/2020

As demand for DIY, serial number-less 'ghost guns' rises, so does demand for tougher laws

The DFS Firearms Examination Unit has received more ghost guns in the first half of 2020 than during all of 2019. #dcforensics

To the untrained eye, two black, square-bodied 9mm pistols, side-by-side, look nearly indistinguishable. Ghost guns and guns built entirely by the manufacturer are nearly indistinguishable, except that one will not have a serial number. Photo: WJLA. But a closer look reveals a difference. One has no...

07/14/2020

The DFS Public Health Lab received a truck from CDC to launch the COVID-19 Mobile Testing Unit. Learn more about the program below.

“We realized that there were people out there who needed COVID-19 tests, but they may not be able to get to a doctor’s office or even to one of the drive-up testing sites,” says Cynthia Ogden, who leads a team of researchers at CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

“We also realized that we might be in a perfect position to help those people.”

Ogden and her team transformed their fleet of a laboratory trucks and trailers into mobile COVID-19 testing sites. Read more of their story: https://bit.ly/CDC-Nhanes.

07/07/2020

District resident can schedule an appointment for free COVID-19 antibody testing at coronavirus.dc.gov/testing. The samples will be tested at the DFS Public Health Lab. #coronavirus

07/06/2020

District residents have several options for free COVID-19 testing this week. #coronavirus

06/30/2020

Several testing locations are open this week for COVID-19 testing. #coronavirus

06/26/2020

APHL Celebrates the 2020 Award Winners | APHL Lab Blog

Congratulations to the DFS Public Health Lab - winner of the 2020 APHL Nation's Healthiest Lab Award!

The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) is pleased to announce the winners of its annual awards for outstanding achievements in laboratory science, creative approaches to solving today’s public health challenges and exemplary support of laboratories serving the public’s health. Awar...

06/25/2020

D.C. residents can access free COVID-19 testing at six locations today. #coronavirus

06/15/2020

Mayor Bowser Provides Update on Coronavirus, 6/15/20

The District opens more COVID-19 firehouse testing locations and D.C. residents can now register for antibody testing. #coronavirus

»»» Subscribe to Mayor Bowser to watch more videos: http://bit.ly/2mmLN5b For Press Releases and News in the District: Mayor.dc.gov Connect with Mayor Bowser...

06/13/2020

We’re all in this together. ❤️ #coronavirus
Video credit: NBC Washington

06/12/2020

Our scientists are making DFS branded face masks using t-shirts from past community events. #dcforensics

06/12/2020

Four COVID-19 testing sites are open today for D.C. residents. #coronavirus

06/08/2020

D.C. residents can now access COVID-19 testing at neighborhood firehouses. Visit coronavirus.dc.gov for information on all testing sites. #coronavirus

06/01/2020

The District opens two new COVID-19 testing sites today: Anacostia and Judiciary Square. #coronavirus

05/29/2020

The DC Public Health Lab is ramping up to supply sample kits for new COVID-19 testing sites next week. #coronavirus

05/29/2020

A new, free walk-up COVID-19 testing site opens Monday. The samples collected will be tested at DC's Public Health Lab. #coronavirus

05/26/2020

COVID-19 Webinar with Dean Lynn Goldman, May 22nd

The Public Health Lab's Operations team (and Milken Institute School of Public Health alums) talk about life in the lab during COVID-19. #coronavirus

On May 22nd, Dean Lynn Goldman was joined by alumni Matt McCarroll, M.S. '15 and Nia Deot, M.S. '18 to discuss their work on the frontlines of COVID-19. Matt...

05/16/2020

The D.C. Public Health Lab’s Mobile Testing Unit was in Brightwood today to support free COVID-19 testing for residents. #coronavirus