Gov. Lujan Grisham unveils new forensic lab in Santa Fe

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A new multimillion-dollar forensic lab could help crimes in New Mexico get solved quicker. The new 44,000-square-foot laboratory opened Tuesday in Santa Fe.

It’s four times the size of the old laboratory which is in a repurposed office building. 

The new lab will be the largest of the state’s three forensic laboratories and the only one to process non-drug-related evidence like DNA, firearms, and fingerprints.   

“This new facility empowers law enforcement to solve more crimes more quickly. Put simply: this is life-saving work,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. “Violent crime is down across our state overall, but we must continue working to ensure every New Mexican is safe in their community. The forensic laboratory is just one component of an all-of-the-above strategy to drive down crime in our state.”  

More than 300 agencies from local, state, and federal will be able to work out of this lab.

“We have an indoor fire range where we can conduct testing inside the laboratory instead of going out to do the testing which we used to have to do,” said Katharina Babock, a forensic laboratory director for the state’s Department of Safety. 

Money for the lab was passed during the 2019 legislative session.