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Through a federal grant, state and local agencies are hoping to tackle an older inventory of untested sexual assault kits.

The U.S. Department of Justice awarded a $2 million grant to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Justice Programs for the second consecutive year on Friday. More than $1.3 million of the grant will go to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to test kits and help local organizations with investigations.

The remaining portion of the grant will be split between the Minnesota Coalition of Sexual Assault, victim services provider Alexandra House and the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office.

“The Office of Justice Programs is proud to work with our project partners to find ways to streamline kit submissions, improve sexual assault investigations and provide support to victims across Minnesota,” said Kate Weeks, executive director of the OJP.

Following state legislation requiring law enforcement agencies to count and explain untested kits, 

the BCA discovered nearly 3,500 rape kits

 that weren’t submitted to forensic laboratories statewide in late 2015. Since the first grant in 2018, more than 250 untested kits were submitted to the BCA’s forensics team.

Minneapolis police report finding hundreds of additional untested rape kits

BCA finds nearly 3,500 untested rape kits across MN

“This is an opportunity to gain valuable information from kits that for years have gone untested,” said Drew Evans, the BCA’s superintendent. “Testing these kits will, in some cases, result in new information that can inform investigations and may bridge gaps in justice.”

The Sexual Assault Kit Initiative grant was established by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to address “the growing number of

in law enforcement custody.” The federal bureau awarded more than

 to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies around the country.

In addition to testing, grant funds go to victim advocacy services and other sexual assault programs statewide, including a 24-hour notification line for victims and survivors.

“We are hopeful that this important work will lead to more uniformity statewide in protocols and procedures related to the handling and testing of sexual assault kits in Minnesota,” said Alexandra House executive director Connie Moore.

Crime, Law and Justice

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Mohamed Ibrahim

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The grant, managed by the state Department of Public Safety’s Office of Justice Programs, will aim to reduce the number of untested kits while improving investigations and victim advocacy.

Rep. Marion O'Neill looks through a sexual assault evidence collection kit

Minn. receives $2 million federal grant to address untested sexual assault kits

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