LINCOLN - The Nebraska State Patrol broke ground today on a $26 million dollar expansion project for the NSP Crime Laboratory. The project will increase the footprint of the existing Crime Lab from 31,000 square feet to 59,000 square feet.

“Our dedicated team of scientists at the NSP Crime Lab provides excellent service to law enforcement agencies across the state, but they need more room to operate,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “Since our current facility opened in 2015, we’ve seen a significant increase in caseload submissions.”

The NSP Crime Lab provides evidence testing free of charge for law enforcement agencies across the entire state. Areas of expertise for NSP scientists include drug chemistry, biology/DNA, latent fingerprints, toxicology, and firearms and tool marks. The NSP Crime Lab currently receives approximately 5,000 case submissions per year.

“The work these scientists do is on display in criminal prosecutions that occur throughout the entire state,” said Jason Linder, NSP Crime Lab Director, “Since 2015, the lab has seen a 23 percent increase in overall caseload submissions, including a 90 percent increase in cases involving DNA testing. This expansion will help us meet the demands for today and be prepared for the future.”

The expansion project will work in phases, making sure the existing Crime Lab remains operational throughout the project. This project was included in Governor Pillen’s budget proposal and approved by the Nebraska Legislature in 2023.

The NSP Crime Lab has been in operation since 1973. The Lab moved to its current location in Lincoln’s Air Park neighborhood in 2015. The expansion project is expected to be complete and fully operational in 2026.