By Associated Press - Tuesday, January 28, 2014

CLAYTON, Mo. (AP) - Workers at the new St. Louis County crime lab in Clayton say a flawed ventilation system threatens to contaminate key evidence.

The police headquarters lab opened in November under controversy and an FBI conflict-of-interest investigation requested by County Police Chief Tim Fitch over a $3.7 million subcontract awarded to a company owned by a former police commission chairman.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (bit.ly/1dKTfVQ ) reports that crime lab employees described “hurricane-like conditions” and leaky air ducts that damaged part of ballistics testing area.



The general contractor and a public works official insist the problems were glitches expected in any major construction project, and are being fixed.

___

Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, https://www.stltoday.com

Copyright © 2026 The Washington Times, LLC.

Please read our comment policy before commenting.