Department of Public Safety officials announced Friday that a grant of more than $200,000 has been awarded to the state crime lab in Tucson to help investigate DUIs.
Superintendent of the Arizona DPS Crime Lab Vince Figarelli said the funds will be used to purchase a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer.
The equipment is used for the analysis of drugs in blood or urine for DUI cases.
This type of instrument is more sensitive than previous technology, particularly for THC and other marijuana components, and is already in service at the state crime lab in Phoenix, according to department officials.
Figarelli said, "The addition of this technology in our southern laboratory will enhance efficiency in crime laboratory operations and improve service to law enforcement agencies in the southern part of the state."
