Subpoenas for all DPS Forensic Laboratory scientists should be submitted via email to lab.subpoenas@dps.nm.gov; however, they may also be received in-person at one of the three laboratory locations.  Subpoenas need to be addressed to a specific scientist.  If the scientist’s identity is unknown, please contact lab.subpoenas@dps.nm.gov so that this information can be researched and provided prior to the submission of the subpoena. Please include the corresponding DPS laboratory case number and agency case number, in addition to the court case number, on all subpoenas.  Updates on dismissed or continued cases should be emailed to the aforementioned email address

• Expert Witness Evaluation Form

The laboratory is in the process of adopting standards from the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science from its registry of approved standards. This process is the implementation of nationally recognized standards that lend credibility to already implemented quality assurance standards in the laboratory.

1. Employment Opportunitites with the laboratory here.
2. Infographic (QR code training info for universities)

House Bill 135 (HB135) – The Sexual Assault Survivor’s Bill of Rights

The Sexual Assault Survivor’s Bill of Rights was passed in 2019 during the 54^th legislative session.  It requires the forensic laboratory to adhere to strict timelines of processing all Sexual Assault Examination Kits (SAEK) submitted to the laboratory for forensic analysis.

Las Cruces Forensic Laboratory offers testing and analysis in the following disciplines:

• • • Controlled Substances
    • Methamphetamine Purity Testing
      (Federal cases only)

Staff Directory/Contact Us

PO Box 2336 Las Cruces, New Mexico 88047-2336
Phone: (575) 541-7580 Fax: (575) 541-7594

Hobbs Forensic Laboratory

Hobbs Forensic Laboratory offers testing and analysis in the following discipline:

• • • Controlled Substances

Staff Directory/Contact Us

PO Box 2567 Hobbs, New Mexico 88241-2567
Phone: (505) 383-0560 Fax: (575) 391-1899

Because each case is unique and the laboratory has many cases at a given time, the time needed to complete each case will vary.

Any case that requires an expedited or rush analysis should be communicated to the laboratory to the appropriate discipline’s supervisor.

Please email forensic.lab@dps.nm.gov

The laboratory continuously explores opportunities to facilitate future interest in forensic science. Please email forensic.lab@dps.nm.gov

The NMDPS Forensic Laboratories Bureau’s evidence units remain open Monday through Friday between the hours of 8am to 12pm, are closed for lunch, and reopen from 1pm to 5pm. Officers may submit evidence to the laboratories during the listed hours of operation.  You can also call evidence unit to make an appointment to submit evidence.

• Santa Fe Evidence Unit (By Appointment Only – until further notice):
  505-827-9132 
• Las Cruces Evidence Unit:
  575-541-7580
• Hobbs Evidence Unit:
  505-383-0560

The laboratory’s policy limits agencies to twenty (20) cases per day.

1. Firearms should NEVER be submitted to the laboratory loaded. In the event a problem exists with a firearm regarding the functionality or safety, please call the Firearms Unit for assistance or guidance. 505-827-9151
2. Clothing and items that have been saturated with blood or other bodily fluids should be thoroughly dried prior to packaging.
3. Paper packaging is ideal for most submissions to the laboratory, to include Latent Print evidence and DNA evidence. However, the use of plastic packaging should be limited to specific circumstances and appropriate drug evidence. All drug evidence should be packaged in clear plastic, unless you are requesting latent print and / or DNA analysis on the item(s). Plant material or items containing any moisture should not be packaged in plastic; they should be packaged in paper to aid in the drying process.
4. Ensure all items are properly sealed with evidence tape, and each seal should have, at a minimum, the initials of the person who sealed the evidence and the date.
5. Never mail liquid chemical samples of meth labs. Cases of this type must be submitted in person.
6. If your agency would like training in evidence packaging, or preservation of evidence submitted, please contact the laboratory by clicking this link.

1. Always collect elimination prints and/or suspect standards (finger and palm), at the time of arrest.
2. If your intent is to submit evidence to the laboratory for latent print analysis, we suggest that you not process the evidence prior to submission, or at least seek advice on how to properly process the item(s). However, processing evidence at the scene is optional and encouraged with oversized items such as vehicles, large windows, etc. Latent prints can be developed, photographed, and lifted from the scene and submitted to the lab. However, if you intend on submitting the items for testing, refrain from any processing, package the item(s) accordingly, and submit them to the lab.
3. Items for latent print processing should be packaged in breathable packaging, such as envelopes, cardboard boxes, or paper bags. DO NOT package items in plastic bags or wrap items tightly in packaging. Condensation and/or friction from packaging may degrade or destroy any latent impressions present on items.
4. Most probative items believed to be handled or touched by any person of interest, such as weapons, tools, or general objects, are candidates for latent print testing. Item with smooth surfaces are ideal candidates, and while textured surfaces yield lower success rates, they are still candidates for latent print testing. In addition, porous items, such as paper or cardboard, are also conducive to latent prints testing and can be submitted. Due to laboratory policies, some items eligible for touch DNA testing will not be tested by both DNA and Latent Prints depending on the type of offense. Please contact a forensic scientist regarding which method of testing will yield the best possible results.
5. Items such as fabrics, projectiles, and rocks are not conducive to latent print testing and are not accepted for such testing. In addition, items retrieved directly from a person are less probative and likely to produce known results of direct handling, and therefore should not be submitted for latent print testing.
6. Case information is not important for latent print testing. However, if you are unable to obtain major case prints from possible suspects, it is valuable to include the date of birth or SID/FBI number of any person involved in the case on your submission form. This will allow us to search our record archives for any available standards.
7. Submitting elimination standards depends on the type of crime. All non-violent crimes, such as property crimes, require elimination/victim standards based upon laboratory policies. There is no requirement for the submission of elimination standards for violent crimes, although if they are available for submission, it is highly encouraged. At a minimum, the name and DOB of all persons of interest and victims is required information for the submission of violent crimes.
8. Major case prints are a complete recording of friction ridge skin from the hands, to include rolled fingers, palms, fingertips, sides of fingers, and joints. These recordings provide the most accurate information to perform comparisons of any latent impressions found or developed on items of evidence.

1. The forensic laboratories do not accept syringes with attached needles as evidence. Attached needles pose a significant hazard to the scientists. However, you may place the contents of the syringe into a vial and submit the vial as evidence. Additionally, prior to submitting suspected drug evidence, such as marijuana, the evidence should be thoroughly dried and properly packaged, and in situations where large quantities exist, sub-samples should be taken and submitted for testing. For situational clarification and questions, please contact our Controlled Substance Analysis Units. 505-827-9155
2. All drug evidence should be packaged in clear plastic, unless you are requesting latent print and / or DNA analysis on the item(s). Plant material or items containing any moisture should not be packaged in plastic; they should be packaged in paper to aid in the drying process.
3. Clearly label, itemize and separate submitted items.
4. Please only estimate tablet submissions. There is no need for agencies to count all the tablets.
5. Please select a laboratory location closest to your jurisdiction (for example, Alamogordo cases should not go to Santa Fe).

If methamphetamine purity testing is requested, the case must be transported by the submitting agency to the Las Cruces Forensic Laboratory.

Never submit a loaded firearm to the laboratory. If you have concerns that further handling the weapon may affect the analysis, please contact the laboratory for instructions.

1. Ensure to package any firearm separate from any live ammunition.
2. We encourage you to submit all firearm related evidence that you recover to the lab. Also submit any items recovered during autopsy at OMI.
3. The firearms unit does not have the capability to perform gunshot residue (GSR) on hand swabs. If you require testing of hand swabs, please call the unit and we can refer you to laboratories that provide that type of service.
4. To perform a muzzle to garment distance determination test, we need you to submit the firearm that was used in the incident as well as the victim’s clothing. Also, any live ammunition that was recovered should be submitted as we may use that ammunition during testing. We do not test suspect clothing as part of this test.
5. The laboratory can compare fired cartridge cases to each other or to a gun and we can compare fired bullets to each other or to a gun, but we cannot compare a fired bullet to a fired cartridge case.

1. Before items of biological evidence can be submitted to the laboratory for testing, agencies must first obtain a DNA acceptance code by discussing the specifics of the case with a DNA scientist. Only items of evidence listed on the DNA acceptance code will be accepted for submission.
2. Types of items not accepted by the laboratory include liquid body fluids and syringes containing needles.
3. The laboratory requires specifics of a case to be discussed with a DNA scientist. The DNA/Biology Unit is the only laboratory unit that limits the submitted items to the most probative pieces of evidence in a case. This helps to decrease your case’s turnaround time and allows the DNA scientist to determine CODIS eligibility during your discussions. If during the first round of testing nothing of value is generated, simply request to submit more items of evidence for additional testing.
4. A DNA acceptance code is required with all new case submissions. A new DNA acceptance code is required for all additional evidence submissions, with the only exception being the submission of known DNA standards.
5. Biological evidence should be completely dry before packaging. The evidence should be packaged in paper only, NEVER plastic. Biological evidence should be stored in a cool place (room temperature) and should be protected from humidity and heat.
6. The laboratory will not accept the following items for DNA testing:
   1. Liquid biological fluids (blood, urine, etc.)
   2. Syringes with needles
   3. Fired or unfired casings or cartridges for touch DNA
7. Information on laboratory submission limitations:
   1. Violent crimes (Homicides, assaults, sexual assaults, etc.):
      1. NOTICE: A new DNA submission policy will go into effect July 1, 2022. Please see the new item limits below.  A new DNA Acceptance Code Form will be made available on this date. Old versions of the form will not be accepted as of July 1, 2022. All items, with the exception to the items listed above, may be accepted on a case-by-case basis. We do ask that the items be limited to the most probative items first. Additional submissions may be considered later.

          Changes are being enacted due to: House Bill 135 requires sexual assault kit testing is completed within 180 days of submission, complexity / time needed for DNA analysis, interpretation, peer review, and DNA Unit staffing. 

         Type of Case/Offense	Number of Items Max Per Submission*
         Violent Crimes – Group 1  Homicides	10
         Violent Crimes – Group 2  All other Crimes Against Persons: Robbery, Suicide, Assault/Battery, Officer Involved Shootings	5
         Sexual Assault   Includes: CSP/CSC, CSP/CSC of a Minor, Kidnapping	If Victim SAEK white envelope collected:  Victim SAEK (white envelope only)  Offender SAEK (off-white envelope, if collected)
         	Submissions after SAEK testing or no SAEK collected:  5
         Non-Violent   Includes: Property crimes, Stolen Vehicles, Felon in Possession Firearm/Drugs	2   (Unchanged)

         * These evidence item limits do not include known DNA standards for elimination and comparison purposes.  

      2. Although they are not required for case submission, it is strongly recommended that all DNA standards from relevant individuals be submitted with the first round of testing (victims and suspects).
   2. Non-violent/Property crimes:
      1. You can submit a maximum of two items of evidence for the first submission. Any DNA standards collected do not count toward this number.
      2. Items left behind by the suspect may be submitted for touch DNA testing. No touch DNA swabs or items belonging to the victim will be accepted (doorknob swabs, drawer handle swabs, etc.).
      3. In stolen vehicle cases, a steering wheel swab may be submitted if the DNA standard from the owner of the vehicle is also submitted. No other touch DNA swabs from the vehicle will be accepted, but items left behind by the suspect will be accepted.
      4. The best type of evidence in this type of case are items such as cigarette butts, blood, drinking containers, clothing left behind, etc. No DNA standard from the victim is required with this type of evidence.
      5. Items for touch DNA testing will not be worked by both the Latent Prints and DNA sections. Please contact a forensic scientist to determine what discipline will provide the best chance of getting helpful results.
      6. Felon in Possession of a Firearm/Drug Possession cases will not be accepted if the item(s) were taken directly from the suspect’s person. You must choose either Latent Prints or DNA on specific items. It’s OK if you have items for both disciplines, but a single item will not be accepted for both types of testing. A DNA standard from the suspect is required to be submitted with the evidence for DNA testing.

8. If your suspect is in CODIS, the laboratory requires that you collect a standard from him/her. The CODIS database does not contain personally identifiable information. DNA scientists do not have the ability to search the CODIS database for DNA profiles of specific individuals. DNA standards from arrestees/convicted offenders do not maintain a chain of custody and can therefore not be used as evidence in court. A separate DNA standard from the suspect in most cases will be required. A suspect standard that is submitted upon the initial submission of the evidence will make the entire process more efficient and will even facilitate things down the line if a CODIS “hit” occurs later.
9. If there is a CODIS “hit” in your case the laboratory will notify you. If you receive notification from the laboratory, you will need to collect a DNA standard from the person identified through the CODIS hit and submit the DNA standard to the laboratory for direct comparison to the evidentiary profile. Per New Mexico legal statutes, offender and arrestee samples in CODIS are for databasing purposes only and are not to be used as standards for comparison. A CODIS “hit” is strictly an investigative lead and is not appropriate for use in court.
10. The FBI has several rules that govern the entry of DNA profiles into CODIS. Victim DNA profiles cannot be entered into CODIS. Only evidentiary DNA profiles generated from the commission of a crime can be entered into CODIS. DNA profiles generated from items collected from a suspect’s person/property cannot be entered into CODIS (which is why a standard must be submitted for a felon in possession of a firearm case). For more information, visit the NDIS procedures at http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/lab/biometric-analysis/codis/codis-and-ndis-fact-sheet.
11. Always collect a standard during the initial investigation of a case, rather than later. In cases where a search warrant is required, or there is no suspect, then those cases can be submitted as is.
12. Elimination standards must be submitted as DNA results can be very difficult to interpret without a standard for comparison. If an item is collected from a person’s home/car, it is expected to find their DNA on those items. Scientists are not allowed to enter victim DNA profiles into CODIS, so the owner(s) should be eliminated from the evidence before the evidentiary profile can be entered into CODIS.
13. The laboratory performs specialized testing, such as male Y-STR DNA testing, criminal paternity testing, and reverse parentage testing.
    1. Male Y-STR DNA testing uses the same technology as conventional DNA testing, however, it only tests the Y chromosome. The Y chromosome is passed unchanged, baring mutation, from father to son, so an entire paternal male lineage may have the same male Y-STR DNA profile. Since this type of testing targets only the male DNA present in a sample, it can be useful in cases where there is too much female DNA present, as in sexual assault cases.
       • • For male Y-STR testing, a male DNA standard is required. For criminal paternity testing, standards from the alleged father, the biological mother, and the child/product of conception are required.
    2. For reverse parentage testing, standards from the biological mother, biological father, and alleged child are required. No other specialized testing (such as mitochondrial DNA testing or animal DNA testing) is currently offered at this facility.
14. A DNA mixture is when more than one person contributes their DNA to an item of evidence. A scientist can sometimes separate out the components of a mixture, as in who deposited the most amount of DNA (major DNA profile) and who deposited the least amount of DNA to a sample (minor DNA profile). If the components of a mixture cannot be separated out, it is simply reported as a mixture.
15. When swabs are collected from a person’s body, it is expected to find their DNA profile from those swabs. When there is DNA present on those body swabs that does not belong to that person, it is called “foreign” DNA.

1. No, you do not need an acceptance code for evidence submitted for analysis with any other disciplines, unless that evidence is also being examined for DNA.
2. A DNA acceptance code is required with all new case submissions. A new DNA acceptance code is required for all additional evidence submissions, with the only exception being the submission of known DNA standards.
3. The laboratory requires specifics of a case to be discussed with a DNA scientist. The DNA/Biology Unit is the only laboratory unit that limits the submitted items to the most probative pieces of evidence in a case. This helps to decrease your case’s turnaround time and allows the DNA scientist to determine CODIS eligibility during your discussions. If during the first round of testing nothing of value is generated, simply request to submit more items of evidence for additional testing.

If the evidence requires DNA testing, please contact a DNA scientist (listed below).