General Forensic FAQ - How do I know how to submit evidence to the laboratory?

Evidence on cases must go through a law enforcement agency.  Individual citizens cannot directly submit evidence to the laboratory.  If evidence of a crime is found, it should be first reported to the Austin Police Department.

For law enforcement agencies, the laboratory’s Physical Evidence Handbook is available on the Policy Manuals and Forms page.  It is a detailed manual on how to request and submit evidence to the laboratory, including packaging and storage instructions to prevent the loss of evidential value.