A new “focused” crime lab for Shelby County is one step closer to reality after county commissioners unanimously approved a resolution allocating $5.5 million to fund recurring operations at the proposed facility.
Due to the extra expense, commissioners will likely need to pass a property tax increase to balance Mayor Lee Harris’ revised FY 2026 budget. Earlier in the Wednesday, June 18, meeting, members agreed to certify the county’s tax rate at $2.69 per $100 of assessed value.
The rate was revised down by the state from $3.39 in FY 2025 — a difference of 70 cents. Meanwhile, blanks remain on the ordinance that would officially set the FY 2026 property tax rate.
“I think there are plenty of smart reasons why the commission might exceed the $2.69 to include an initiative like this,” said Harris. “Foremost of which is that this is one of the most important public safety initiatives that we’ve had before the commission.”
Third and final votes on both resolutions are slated for today. A special called meeting will be required to meet the deadline to set the FY 2026 tax rate ordinance. The rate is also expected to be finalized during today’s meeting. However, a public notice requirement must be fulfilled before a tax hike can be approved.
The special meeting date is to be determined.
The prospective crime lab would concentrate on three areas: rapid DNA analysis, cell phone/digital forensics and ballistics. The lab would not overlap with forensics currently handled at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s crime lab in Jackson, Tennessee.
That facility currently processes most rape kit analyses for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and the Memphis Police Department. The City of Memphis recently announced it will embed two scientists at the TBI lab to expedite work being done on MPD’s behalf.
Unlike the MPD-TBI partnership, the new lab would be led by Shelby County government.
“I believe the Shelby County government, particularly the administration, is in a position to administer a local focused crime lab,” said Harris.
The lab would be located on the campus of the current West Tennessee Regional Forensic Center at 637 Poplar Ave., where post-mortem examinations are currently conducted. One-time costs would be reduced by contributions of lab equipment from the state.
Along with a $200,000 contribution announced by Memphis-Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy, additional equipment is expected to be made available from the shuttered crime lab that relocated to Jackson in 2021 — a detail shared by Commissioner Erika Sugarmon.
“That’s news to me,” said Mulroy. “I was told they might consider selling it to us. That was the last I’d heard.”
The state previously declined the DA’s request to house a new crime lab in the former MPD state-run facility at 700 Poplar Ave.
Federal funding could also help with one-time costs.
“Congressman (Steve) Cohen has been kind enough to go ahead and put in a request for some federal grant funds, one-time funds for equipment that we could use for this effort,” said Mulroy.
Two of the three focus areas — rapid DNA testing and cell phone forensics — could begin almost immediately. They don’t require years of specialized training. Ballistics is another matter: It typically takes four to five years to certify a ballistics examiner. Mulroy floated a ballpark salary of $156,000 for the position during discussion.
A trained ballistics technician would likely improve turnaround times. Estimates for returns from the TBI, which currently handles most of the area’s ballistics work, run upwards of 16 months.
Most of the annual recurring costs for the lab would go toward staffing.
The resolution was one of the “A-X” agenda items presented during the Budget and Audit Committee meeting. Members voted 6–5 in favor of Commissioner Mickell Lowery’s motion to delay the property tax ordinance vote until next week. The vote wrapped up an eight-hour-plus committee meeting.
In favor of Lowery’s motion were Sugarmon, Miska Clay Bibbs, Charlie Caswell Jr., Britney Thornton, Henri Brooks and Shante K. Avant. Voting against were Amber Mills, Edmund Ford Jr., Mick Wright, David C. Bradford and Brandon Morrison.
On Tuesday, June 17, Harris proposed a $2.69 tax rate, after previously pitching a $2.73 rate.
“Over the last several weeks, we have worked as hard as possible to identify additional efficiencies and opportunities to trim,” Harris said. “Today, that effort has bore fruit, and we will be able to offer up a new proposal that puts a little bit more money in the pocket of every homeowner in Memphis and Shelby County.”
