Richard Shelby announces $4M to establish a national center on forensics at University of Alabama
U.S. Senator Richard Shelby announced that the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ) agency has awarded $4,000,000 to the University of Alabama (UA) to establish and operate a National Center on Forensics. The funding is in partnership with the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences (ADFS) and the Alabama District Attorney’s Association. The funding was provided through the FY21 Consolidated Appropriations Act. The center helps provide forensic science and legal training to law enforcement, district judges, prosecutors, and other criminal justice agencies. It will also give access to education, training, and provide best practices in the forensic science community. “The U.S. Department of Justice has awarded The University of Alabama $4 million for the development of a National Center on Forensics, one of the first of its kind in the United States. This is outstanding news,” Shelby said in a press release. “The NIJ funding will allow UA to implement important training and learning opportunities in fields where forensic science and law intersect, with a heightened focus on underserved rural areas. I look forward to the lasting benefits that this new center will undoubtedly have on forensic science for years to come.” Senior associate vice president for research and economic development Dr. John Higginbotham stated, “This unique and emergent initiative will enable our UA team and our UAB partners to help improve forensic investigation, particularly in rural areas of our state and become a national leader for these training and learning opportunities. The grant will provide many valuable benefits, including the ability to offer medical and legal learning opportunities for students training as deputy medical examiners or coroners, with a special emphasis for those planning to live and work in underserved rural areas. We are grateful for the support of Senator Shelby during this highly competitive grant process and look forward to formally presenting this to the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees.” ADFS director Angelo Della Manna praised Shelby’s efforts. “The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences is one of the nation’s oldest forensic science systems and has a long and well-established history of excelling in several previous NIJ forensic science initiatives. As the only accredited provider of forensic science services in Alabama, ADFS is uniquely positioned to help train medical students early on in their medical school education sequence on the exciting career options of becoming a medical examiner/coroner through the Center, as well as helping the Center provide local, state, and nationwide training to forensic science practitioners on new and emerging technologies in the field. We offer our deepest thanks to Senator Shelby for his long-standing support of forensic science and look forward to partnering with UA in this exciting endeavor to create the National Center on Forensics on the campus of the University of Alabama,” stated Della Manna.
Steve Marshall appoints new director of Alabama Dept. of Forensic Sciences
Attorney General Steve Marshall announced on Wednesday the appointment of Angelo Della Manna, of Hoover, Ala., to become director of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences (ADFS). Among his official duties, the ADFS director oversees the State’s forensic sciences program, directs the work of agency investigative, scientific and medical personnel at the central office location as well as field offices and labs throughout the state, and is responsible for the overall comprehensive and technical training program for all agency staff. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of Angelo Della Manna as director of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences,” said Marshall. “Angelo brings to the position considerable experience and leadership as both a veteran of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences and a nationally recognized authority in the field of forensic science. His extensive background in the Department of Forensic Sciences will ensure that the vital laboratory and death investigation services provided to state and local law enforcement will continue to be of the highest caliber.” Under state law, the Attorney General appoints the director of the ADFS. He was assisted in his appointment by a screening committee, which is subject to final approval by the State Personnel Board and Governor Kay Ivey. Della Manna expressed appreciation at being selected and looked forward to guiding the state forensics professions in their mission. “I am both humbled and excited to be selected by General Marshall as the next leader of one of the premier forensic science agencies in this country,” said Della Manna. “My staff of forensic science professionals and I will remain focused on the critical role we have in the justice system as the only internationally accredited provider of forensic science services in Alabama, as we collectively strive to help make Alabama safer, each and every day.” Della Manna began his service with the ADFS in 1993 where he worked on over 2,000 complex forensic cases ranging from burglary to capital murder, built a national leading forensic DNA program, assisted the Department in achieving International Laboratory Accreditation for the first time in its history, and secured and managed over $25 million in federal grant awards to-date. He was elected to serve on the FBI’s five-person Executive Board for DNA Analysis methods where he helped draft and implement new Standards for the Forensic DNA community. He also served as vice chair of the Biology/DNA Scientific Area Committee of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in developing new scientific standards in forensics. Della Manna holds a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from the University of Toronto and a master of science in forensic science from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Della Manna replaces Director Michael Sparks who is retiring effective December 31, 2017. His appointment is effective Jan. 1, 2018,
