July 8, 2025 – CBI – Lakewood, CO – The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS) today released the findings of an independent assessment of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s Forensic Services (CBIFS) section. The assessment was conducted by the firm Forward Resolutions. It specifically assessed CBIFS operations and leadership from 2022-2024 with some historical review extending back to 2010.
The report highlights past deficiencies that included inadequate accountability, poor internal culture, a focus on productivity and gaps in crisis response.
The report also affirms the significant progress made since new lab leadership assumed control of the forensic lab system in 2022. CBIFS has maintained national accreditation, expanded its quality assurance infrastructure, and launched an unprecedented internal review of thousands of cases to preserve integrity and restore trust.
CBI and CDPS are actively implementing the report’s recommendations, which include strengthening internal communication, reinforcing scientific independence and enhancing onboarding procedures.
“We ordered this assessment because transparency and accountability are non-negotiable in forensic science. The public deserves to know that science, not workload or speed, is what guides our forensic work,” said CDPS Executive Director Stan Hilkey. “This report and its recommendations are a necessary step in rebuilding trust, a process that is well underway and that we remain committed to achieving.”
Senator Mike Weissman and Representative Jenny Willford both played integral roles in crafting legislative reforms for the CBI during the last session, and have agreed to sponsor new legislation informed by the report and in partnership with CDPS and other key stakeholders.
“As a legislator and sexual assault survivor, I’m deeply committed to addressing the systemic challenges at the CBI, including the impact that limited resources have had on DNA testing turnaround times,” said Willford. “This independent audit confirms that our forensic labs are stretched thin in ways that threaten the integrity of our justice system. I look forward to working with CDPS, survivors, criminal justice stakeholders and my colleagues in the General Assembly to build a stronger, more trusted forensic system for Colorado.”
“I look forward to working with the Department of Public Safety to rectify the issues to which attention is rightly called to in this report,” said Weismman, who sponsored the bill addressing Colorado’s sexual assault kit backlog. “As it has been all year, my focus will be on improving the survivor experience with the criminal justice system, particularly for survivors of sexual assault who have to endure unconscionable wait times. The legislature has said all year that we must do better and this report shows us some specific ways to make needed improvement.”
CBIFS is fully accredited and operational. The agency will continue to provide updates to stakeholders, legal partners, and the public as it advances its reform initiatives.
Read the full Forward Resolutions report and CBI response at this link.