Hamblin to guide crime lab
By MARK PITSCH
Wisconsin State Journal
February 5, 2007
Former Dane County Sheriff Gary Hamblin will oversee the state's efforts to reduce the backlog in the state Crime Laboratory.
Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen on Monday appointed Hamblin to be administrator of the Justice Department's Division of Law Enforcement Services, which includes the crime lab.
Hamblin told reporters Monday that reducing the backlog will require hiring more analysts and training officers about what evidence is most appropriate to submit to the lab. He said he wasn't sure whether other steps are needed.
"If we can train officers to submit those things that do have important relevance to the case, I think we can streamline the process a little bit," Hamblin said.
"I have a lot of learning to do, not only with DNA but the whole crime lab process," he said. "The important thing is that we all work together as a team. I don't come in here with any notions as to how to fix it."
The crime lab analyzes a range of evidence - from DNA to fingerprints to toxicology to documents - from crimes across the state.
Van Hollen said last month that the crime lab backlog totals more than 1,700 cases and that it would take up to 20 months for the state's 29 crime lab analysts to examine that evidence even if no new cases were brought forward.
He said his office is undergoing a review of the lab, and he expects to determine before Gov. Jim Doyle releases his budget next week how many new analysts the lab needs.
Doyle has pledged to fund 15 new analysts, but Van Hollen said Monday he has talked to Doyle about possibly hiring more.
"The best numbers, of course, that he's going to get are the ones we're going to be able to provide from the inside," Van Hollen said.
Doyle, a former attorney general, said through a spokesman that he'll "put in a significant investment" to the crime lab.
Hamblin, 60, was Dane County sheriff from 1997, when he was appointed by former Gov. Tommy Thompson, to Dec. 31, when he retired. He won re-election in 1998, 2000 and 2002, the first four-year term for a Dane County sheriff.
He decided not to seek re-election and was succeeded by Dave Mahoney.
Mahoney, a former detective under Hamblin, said Hamblin was a good choice for the Justice Department position.
"He has a long-standing record of cooperation among the state, local and federal law enforcement," Mahoney said.
Before becoming sheriff, Hamblin spent 29 years in the Justice Department investigating organized crime, white- collar crime and murders.
A Republican, Hamblin endorsed Van Hollen last year over Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk - with whom Hamblin had clashed over the county's jails budget - and served on his transition team. A Falk spokesman said she had no comment on the appointment.
In addition to overseeing the crime lab, the law enforcement services division provides training to local and state officers and agencies, keeps central criminal history and fingerprint records and makes sure local and state officers meet minimum state qualifications.
Hamblin said his return to government involved "some arm-twisting" by Van Hollen, but that he was also persuaded by the opportunity to take on another challenge and by the management team Van Hollen put together.
Hamblin will be paid $101,957. His first day was Monday.