NASHVILLE (AP) – The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation wants to start charging local police agencies for testing done at the state’s crime labs.

TBI spokeswoman Kristin Helm told WTVF-TV in Nashville on Monday that the agency is faced with making millions of dollars in cuts for next year’s budget, so it is looking at ways to increase revenue.

“Basically, we’re down to either people – cutting positions somewhere between 50 to 80 people out of the bureau – or implementing and passing some new legislation to help us produce revenue out of our state crime labs,” Helm said.

Job cuts could hit multiple positions, including agents who investigate crimes, Helm said.

The TBI has three labs in Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville, and last year ran tests on 83,000 exhibits. The proposed plan would charge local police departments $20 per exhibit. If DNA testing is involved, another $100 would be added to the cost.

The fees for forensic analysis of biological, chemical and physical evidence would have to be approved by the Legislature.

Wilson County Sheriff Terry Ashe said he’s concerned about the cost to local police departments, which are also trimming budgets. He said while his department would always run a test even with an added fee, the fee could put a price on justice.

“I’m not saying it would happen, but should it happen and one test is not done that needed to be run based on making a good case or bad case then all this could be for naught,” said Ashe.

He wants the Legislature to make defendants pay more of the forensic analysis cost. That is also part of TBI’s plan.

Defendants already pay $100 in court costs for blood alcohol and drug testing. The TBI’s proposal would increase that to $250.

Helm said the agency has very little room in the budget.

“We have gotten to the point in our budget where we have nothing else to cut. We have no overtime, no training, no travel money, no supply money,” said Helm.

The proposed fee schedule goes before state lawmakers in January. If it passes, the proposal will go into effect next July.

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Information from: WTVF-TV, http://www.newschannel5.com.

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