North Dakota Code 54-12-24 – State crime laboratory division
1. A state crime laboratory is created as a division of the office of the attorney general.
Terms Used In North Dakota Code 54-12-24
- Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
- Person: means an individual, organization, government, political subdivision, or government agency or instrumentality. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
This division consists of a director, the state toxicologist, and such other personnel as may be appointed by the attorney general. The state crime laboratory may establish and charge fees for services rendered. The state crime laboratory must be administratively separated from the bureau of criminal investigation. The director serves at the pleasure of the attorney general and is entitled to receive a salary set by the attorney general within the limits of legislative appropriation.
2. The state crime laboratory shall employ the services of a qualified toxicologist who must be the state toxicologist. The attorney general shall appoint the state toxicologist.
The attorney general may appoint such qualified deputy state toxicologists as may be necessary to exercise the authority and responsibility prescribed by law for the state toxicologist. The results of toxicological or chemical testing or analysis, other than provided for in section 39-20-13, made by the state toxicologist at the request of law enforcement agencies for criminal investigation may not be disclosed directly or indirectly by the state toxicologist or any agent or employee of the attorney general to anyone other than the person or agency requesting the test or analysis or to any other person upon whom the toxicological or chemical test was performed or the person’s authorized representative, except the state toxicologist may permit the inspection of the reports of any such test or analysis results by any other person having a proper interest therein as determined by the director of the state crime laboratory.
3. Upon the request of the state forensic examiner, any state’s attorney, sheriff, chief of police, coroner, or other local, state, or federal law enforcement official, the attorney general may make available to the requesting official the state crime laboratory’s facilities and personnel to assist in the investigation or detection of crimes and the apprehension or prosecution of criminals.