PHOENIX — Phoenix Police Department's backlog of sexual assault kits has been "significantly" reduced, according to a release from the department.
In August 2023, ABC15 reported that the department had more than 830 sexual assault kits to be tested, up from the previous numbers reported earlier that year.
ABC15 has been reporting for years on the backlog of sexual assault kits throughout Phoenix and the state of Arizona. Watch previous coverage in the player above.
Last year, the City of Phoenix approved more than $3 million in additional funding to help outsource the testing of backlogged DNA rape kits in the city.
The police department says in just over a year since receiving the funding, it has been able to test 930 kits by outsourcing and hiring more forensic scientists.
In a release from the department, a "significant" number of the 800 pending kits have been tested while also receiving an average of approximately 50 new kits each month.
The department estimates that 160 sexual assault kits remain, with the "majority of those expected to be sent out for processing in the next month."
Phoenix police say the Victim Information Portal, launched earlier in 2024, is due to expand in 2025 to include sexual assault cases.
