SAN ANTONIO — A new audit by the City of San Antonio reveals a problem with how police are handling some rape kits, which are aimed at helping victim’s of sexual assault.
State law requires evidence in those kits be processed in a lab within 30 days, but turns out that not all kits met that deadline.
Nearly 10%of kits were not processed within 30 days, according to the city audit. This data was collected over a two-year period, and made public Tuesday during City Council’s audit committee.
Seventeen pages detail the findings of SAPD’s property and evidence room. The biggest take away was the department’s delay on some of it sexual assault kits.
These are used to collect evidence from a survivor after an attack and can be a critical part of investigations. Between October 1, 2021 and September 18, 2023, 1,249 kits fell in SAPD’s jurisdiction. Of those, 117 kits were late.
SAPD was given a chance to respond to the audit before the report was made public. And they have made changes in order to meet the 30-day deadline for kits.
- SAPD now sends reports of untested kits to the special victims unit once a week – instead of every other week.
- The department also added a second courier so tests are taken to the county four times a week – instead of two.
- Detectives are required to send the kits to the county’s criminal investigation unit within seven days of receipt.
- SVU will send a kit investory and status report on the monthly audit to the division commander.
Chief William McManus signed off on the report. They have until July 1 to ensure all recommendations are met.
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