90 Minute DNA Results, A First Of Its Kind, Coming To Bensalem

LORTON, Va., Nov. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bensalem Township Police Department, in conjunction with Bode Technology, is launching a new initiative in the field of DNA testing.  This pilot program known as "BodeHITS - Rapid DNA" will be the first of its kind in the country for law enforcement.

Bensalem Township Police Department currently has its own local DNA database with over 6,000 DNA profiles consisting of evidence and reference/individual samples.  Bensalem's local DNA database has been in existence since 2010 and DNA testing and analysis has played a role in over 100 criminal investigations.  Many of these cases with DNA evidence were property crimes where DNA testing was traditionally not feasible.

Having a local database has guaranteed DNA analysis and results within a 30 day period.  This turnaround time has led to the ability to investigate crimes much more efficiently, rather than waiting the six to nine months it would take to previously obtain DNA results. Bode Technology is located in Lorton, VA and currently maintains and analyzes all of Bensalem's DNA profiles.

The BodeHITS-Rapid DNA™ initiative will take DNA testing to the next level.  This program will provide Bensalem Police the ability to have real time results with their DNA samples.  The turnaround time for DNA results under this program is 90 minutes.  The Rapid DNA testing implemented by Bode and enabled by Life Technologies products and services is the first of their kind in the field - in that it can test DNA evidence from a crime scene.  Currently, there are several other police departments in the country evaluating rapid DNA instruments; however, those instruments are only validated for single source reference/individual samples.  Additionally, those instruments only have the ability to test five samples per batch, whereas with BodeHITS - Rapid DNA, the capacity is 18 samples per batch.  This rapid program is also comparing all new DNA profiles to the already existing 6,000 DNA profiles in Bensalem's local database.  The goal is to generate near, real-time DNA matches to generate probable cause arrests from active criminals in active investigations.

The BodeHITS - Rapid DNA program with Bensalem is taking place at Bensalem Township Police headquarters.  Bode Technology provided the services and a forensic scientist; Life Technologies, the market leader in DNA testing systems, provided 3500xL Genetic Analyzer, AmpFLSTR® Identifiler® PCR Amplification Kits and ongoing support required to perform DNA testing. Bode is also offering reach back support to review DNA HITS. 

"From the streets to results in 90 minutes"

About The Bode Technology Group, Inc.

Bode operates one of the most internationally respected private DNA laboratories and provides a comprehensive set of state-of-the-art forensic DNA collection products, analysis services, and research services to law enforcement, justice system, and other government agencies around the world.  Bode is one of the three wholly owned subsidiaries of SolutionPoint International, Inc.  

SOURCE The Bode Technology Group, Inc.