Hollywood police find untested rape kits in evidence room refrigerator (Hollywood, Florida)

Source: Sun Sentinel

Hollywood police find untested rape kits in evidence room refrigerator

Police chief says new tracking process is in place to keep it from happening again

By Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel

4:27 PM EST, February 10, 2014

HOLLYWOOD

For years, 94 untested rape kits were left sitting in an evidence room refrigerator at the Hollywood Police Department.

The kits, some dating back to 2005, are now in the spotlight as the department's top brass reviews what went wrong and why.

The kits were discovered shortly after Frank Fernandez, who took over as chief in August, ordered an audit of the entire department, including the property and evidence room where the rape kits were found.

Of the 162 rape kits discovered in the fridge, 94 were never taken to the Crime Lab at the Broward Sheriff's Office for testing, records show.


Read more: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/hollywood/fl-rape-kits-hollywood-police-20140210,0,1613095.story