Mapp Approves Bill Allocating Funds For Future Forensic Lab

ST. THOMAS — Governor Kenneth Mapp has approved two measures to support efforts of local law enforcement, a press release Government House issued late Sunday has made known.

According to the release, on Thursday evening the governor signed into law bill no. 31-0145, sponsored by Senators Novelle Francis and Neville James, which will fund the first phase of a forensic crime lab. Local law enforcement officials have long stated that sending evidence away for forensic analysis is both problematic and costly.

The bill also calls for the lab to be “accredited by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (LAB), Laboratory Accreditation Board, the National Forensic Science Technology Center, or other nationally recognized accrediting organization that has requirements that are substantially equivalent to or more comprehensive than those of the Society or the Center.”

“This bill provides a first phase of funding to support our law enforcement efforts through forensic science,” the governor wrote in his transmittal letter to Senate President Neville James. “Let us work together to work to identify additional funding to ensure that the crime lab is opened, operational, and fully accredited by national standards.”

The governor also bill no. 31-018, which appropriates $100,000 to the Virgin Islands Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Impress Fund. Mr. Mapp said that in order to effectively solve cases, the VIPD must have a source of money that can be rapidly accessed. Funds will be used primarily for protecting and transporting witnesses and paying rewards as required. The governor urged senators to create a permanent source of funding for the Criminal Investigation fund and said that he welcomed any measure that would assist VIPD in combating crime.

The chief executive also approved legislation to repair the Horace Clark Ballpark in Frederiksted, determine safe occupancy of public buildings, to better memorialize veterans, to establish a daytime curfew for school age children, and to allow government employees to participate in public vehicle auctions.

Mr. Mapp, however, vetoed a measure that would reduce the size of the Casino Control Commission. He acknowledged that the Commission was not functioning as intended, but said that greater concentration of power may create additional problems.  Mr. Mapp stated that the inspector general and Department of Justice were currently conducting audit investigations of the agency, and that those findings should be reviewed before any “far reaching changes to the organizational structure” should be implemented.

The governor also approved numerous resolutions to honor Virgin Islanders, as well as a resolution to petition the United States Congress to offer full medical care services to all veterans living within the territory.