Kaul wants to spend $1.8 million to hire 15 additional lab workers, including three crime scene analysts, six DNA technicians, three toxicology workers, an evidence technician and two ballistics experts. He also wants $560,000 to hire four analysts who can examine electronic devices.
He wants to spend $2 million to set up performance-based pay progression for crime lab workers.
A review of lab operations the National Forensic Science Technology Center released in September found the labs suffer from poor morale, below-market pay and slow test turnaround times.