Local
Nashville's Forensic DNA Unit Fully Staffed, On Track to Clear Rape Kit Backlog by End of 2026
Mayor Freddie O'Connell announced at a community roundtable that Nashville's Forensic Biology DNA Unit is now fully staffed and expects to eliminate the sexual assault kit backlog by the end of the year, with new cases processed as they arrive starting in 2027.
Nashville's police crime lab is on pace to eliminate its backlog of sexual assault evidence kits by the end of 2026, Mayor Freddie O'Connell said at a community roundtable this week. The Forensic Biology DNA Unit is now fully staffed and will begin processing new cases as they arrive starting next year, according to the mayor's remarks.
The announcement marks a significant milestone for a unit that has faced persistent staffing shortages and mounting kit queues in recent years. Sexual assault kits contain biological evidence collected from survivors after an assault; timely testing can identify suspects, link serial offenders through the national CODIS database, and exonerate the wrongly accused.
Metro officials did not specify how many kits remain untested or provide a precise definition of what the city considers the backlog. The mayor's office did not immediately respond to a request for those figures.
The Forensic Biology/DNA Unit examines biological evidence and develops DNA profiles that can generate investigative leads or be compared against reference samples and eligible profiles in CODIS, the FBI's Combined DNA Index System. The unit's full staffing means new kits submitted by law enforcement will be processed without the delays that have characterized the past several years.
Advocates for survivors have long argued that swift testing is essential not only for individual cases but for public safety, because offenders often commit multiple assaults before being identified. A survivor who spoke with local media previously described how rapid kit testing helped connect her case to a serial offender.
The end-of-year target, if met, would close a chapter that has drawn scrutiny from victim advocates and city leaders alike. O'Connell has made public safety and criminal justice reform central to his administration, and the clearing of the backlog is likely to be cited as a tangible achievement.
It remains unclear how the city will measure success or what oversight will ensure the unit keeps pace with incoming cases once the backlog is cleared. Community members at the roundtable pressed for transparency on those metrics, according to attendees.
For now, the message from the mayor's office is one of progress: a fully staffed lab, a clear timeline, and a commitment to process new kits as they arrive. Survivors and their advocates will be watching to see whether the promise holds through the end of the year.