RI State Crime Lab Awarded $300K Grant To Clear Gun Backlog

PROVIDENCE, RI — Rhode Island received a nearly $300,000 grant to help clear the backlog of gun cases at the state Crime Lab, U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha announced Monday.

The $296,966 grant comes from the Justice Department's Project Safe Neighborhoods. It will be used to hire a firearms examiner, who will work through the backlog of cartridge cases and other projectiles at the lab.

The number of cases at the lab exponentially rose over the past months, climbing from none in April 2020 to more than 280 this May, Cunha's office said.

"Getting violent criminals and their guns off the street is critical to the safety of our communities," Cunha said. "Project Safe Neighborhoods leverages federal and state law enforcement partnerships, data, and resources to do just that. This grant, which will help our Rhode Island partners to quickly move potentially significant evidence through the state crime lab, is a critical part of our efforts."

The Rhode Island Crime Lab serves the state and local police departments, the Office of the State Medical Examiner and the Attorney General's Office.