SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — More than 100 backlogged rape kits found through Missouri’s SAFE Kits Initiative are being collected at the Springfield Police Department on Thursday to be sent for testing.
It's the first batch of SAFE Kits to be tested since Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt launched the initiative in January 2019. The initiative identified nearly 7,000 backlogged rape kits that remain untested.
The Springfield Police Department is gathering the kits from its neighboring sheriff’s offices and police departments in southwest Missouri, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office said in a Thursday release.
The kits will be sent to a private lab to ensure they’re tested quickly without overwhelming the Missouri State Highway Patrol crime lab with a large influx of kits.
The Springfield Police Department was chosen as a host agency because it's a larger department with more space to collect the kits. Other host agencies have been identified all across the state to collect future batches.
“When I was sworn in as Attorney General, tackling this backlog of untested sexual assault kits was one of my top priorities, and remains a key focus of this office heading into the new year,” said Attorney General Schmitt. “… Now, with the help of Chief Williams, the Springfield Police Department, and our incredible law enforcement partners across the state, we’re taking a crucial step forward in our fight to bring justice for victims.”
The attorney general’s office said it is also developing an electronic tracking system for the kits.
