2008 Woodie Awards
Crime lab looks to expand facilities
Chloe Thompson
Issue date: 3/26/08 Section: News
03/26/08 - The Rhode Island State Crime Laboratory, located in Fogarty Hall, may extend its boundaries after the completion of the new pharmacy building, Vice President of Administration Robert Weygand said yesterday.
Though the decision hasn't been put into writing yet, Director of the State Crime Laboratory Dennis Hilliard said "efforts have been made for the last 20 years or so to try and unite forensics in Rhode Island."
Currently, the laboratory houses about 3,000 square feet in Fogarty, the Parking Services building and a nearby garage on the University of Rhode Island campus. Hilliard said the laboratory is hoping to bring its other half from the Health Department in Providence and to consolidate into a new, two-floor, 30,000-square-foot home in the old pharmacy building.
Weygand said, "Exactly how much in terms of floors or space, we're still working out." He added many other facilities on campus might also be looking for a spot in Fogarty, and the decision to extend the laboratory was not final.
"There's still opportunities for us to look at the strategic needs of the campus," he said.
This merger between the two facilities at URI and Providence might benefit the growth of both the educational programs at the university and the Crime Laboratory, founded in 1952.
Hilliard said the combination of the two locations would create a sense of self-leadership for the laboratory.
"It's a matter of being semi-autonomous and nonbiased, and the ideal place to do that is at an academic setting such as the University of Rhode Island," he said.
Weygand agreed with Hillard's school of thought. "[The two] would now be consolidated under URI and it would give us authorization over their activities, which is good for separation from law enforcers," he said.
If the two consolidate under one roof, as proposed, the facilities will follow models of other universities that house state crime laboratories, such as California State University, Los Angeles and Southeast Missouri State University.
Though the decision hasn't been put into writing yet, Director of the State Crime Laboratory Dennis Hilliard said "efforts have been made for the last 20 years or so to try and unite forensics in Rhode Island."
Currently, the laboratory houses about 3,000 square feet in Fogarty, the Parking Services building and a nearby garage on the University of Rhode Island campus. Hilliard said the laboratory is hoping to bring its other half from the Health Department in Providence and to consolidate into a new, two-floor, 30,000-square-foot home in the old pharmacy building.
Weygand said, "Exactly how much in terms of floors or space, we're still working out." He added many other facilities on campus might also be looking for a spot in Fogarty, and the decision to extend the laboratory was not final.
"There's still opportunities for us to look at the strategic needs of the campus," he said.
This merger between the two facilities at URI and Providence might benefit the growth of both the educational programs at the university and the Crime Laboratory, founded in 1952.
Hilliard said the combination of the two locations would create a sense of self-leadership for the laboratory.
"It's a matter of being semi-autonomous and nonbiased, and the ideal place to do that is at an academic setting such as the University of Rhode Island," he said.
Weygand agreed with Hillard's school of thought. "[The two] would now be consolidated under URI and it would give us authorization over their activities, which is good for separation from law enforcers," he said.
If the two consolidate under one roof, as proposed, the facilities will follow models of other universities that house state crime laboratories, such as California State University, Los Angeles and Southeast Missouri State University.