Valley Law Enforcement Agencies Get $2.7 Million To Test Rape Kits

Published: Tuesday, October 4, 2016 - 6:08pm

Two Valley law enforcement agencies are in for nearly $3 million in grants from the federal government.

The money will go toward testing rape kits and could help in crime solving. 

The new grants come from the Justice Department, which has awarded $1.2 million to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office and another $1.5 million to the Phoenix Police Department.

The money will be used to test sexual assault evidence for DNA.

County Attorney Bill Montgomery said his office will use its new resources to analyze previously untested evidence and for investigation and prosecution work involving the evidence.

Phoenix Assistant Police Chief Mary Roberts said her force will use the funding to advance the city's policy for testing all sex crime evidence.