In the article “Westmoreland DA says forensics lab will speed investigations” (April 14, TribLIVE), the Tribune-Review reported that District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli and county commissioners plan to spend: $497,000 for lab equipment; a new salary of $84,000; and $250,000 for training and accreditation. The goal is to have it “be available for use by all local police departments,” save the county an “average $51,000 annually” and quit using outside labs that “sometimes … can be backed up eight months to a year.” Expecting correction and clarification from county commissioners, I always wait awhile before responding to nonsense such as this. It never comes.
Finance, maintenance and upgrade costs of the lab certainly exceed $50,000 per year. Benefit costs increase the new hire costs to over $100,000 annually. The 8- to 12-month backlog indicates acquiring and retaining the necessary skills may not be easy. Digital skills are diverse — requiring teams. The tougher problems will need to be sent out with long waits still encountered. Lab and office space costs are uncounted.
Once again, the commissioners show lack of ability and common sense in spending our money. The inexplicably large $250,000 “to train staff and gain accreditation for the lab” — could it be commissioners have a favored, but inexperienced, candidate in mind?
To understand data encryption, a generally easy, cheap, simply selected option, or app download on smartphones and PCs, I suggest you read “The Mathematics of Secrets” by Holden. You’ll come to understand the complexity, cost and time required to break encrypted data are far outside the scope of what their plans can handle.
Please vote for new commissioners.
Jim Baker
Greensburg