As gun tests in criminal investigations surge, WA struggles to keep up

Police in Washington are sometimes waiting over a year for the state to test firearms evidence, as the Washington State Patrol deals with a growing backlog.

For the past four years, the state patrol’s forensic crime labs in Vancouver, Tacoma, Seattle and Spokane received an average of 628 requests for testing firearms per year, according to the state patrol. But the labs are only completing 418 of those requests annually.

The state patrol says it is making strides to address the issue, which can delay trials and hinder attempts to quickly find suspects.

As of July 1, over 950 cases awaited forensic analysis of firearms, with the current wait time stretching 54 weeks. The state patrol expects the backlog to peak at more than 1,050 cases this summer as demand for testing grows.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/08/18/as-gun-tests-in-criminal-investigations-surge-wa-struggles-to-keep-up/