MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Attorney General Josh Kaul has asked Gov. Tony Evers to let him spend $4.4 million in the next state budget to hire more evidence analysts and set up pay raises for them.
The Associated Press obtained Kaul's budget request Thursday through an open records request.
Kaul wants to spend $1.8 million to hire 15 additional lab workers, including three crime scene analysts, six DNA technicians, three toxicology workers, an evidence technician and two ballistics experts. He also wants $560,000 to hire four analysts who can examine electronic devices.
He wants to spend $2 million to set up performance-based pay progression for crime lab workers.
A review of lab operations the National Forensic Science Technology Center released in September found the labs suffer from poor morale, below-market pay and slow test turnaround times.
