{"id":384359,"date":"2023-01-31T06:06:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-30T20:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=384359"},"modified":"2023-01-31T06:06:00","modified_gmt":"2023-01-30T20:06:00","slug":"gcc-officially-opens-crime-lab-building-annex","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/gcc-officially-opens-crime-lab-building-annex\/","title":{"rendered":"GCC officially opens crime lab\u00a0building annex"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Department of Interior\u2019s assistant secretary for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor, Gov. Lourdes Leon Guerrero, and Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio join Guam Community College president Dr. Mary A. Y. Okada and other dignitaries to cut the ribbon to signal the opening the\u00a0Gregorio G. Perez Crime Lab\u00a0Building Annex last on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, in Guam. (GCC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Guam Community College cut the ribbon to signal the opening the\u00a0Gregorio G. Perez Crime Lab\u00a0Building Annex last on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, in an event that was attended by the Department of Interior\u2019s assistant secretary for Insular and International Affairs, Carmen G. Cantor.<\/p>\n

The long-awaited crime lab annex features a 4,915-square-foot laboratory; 1,945 square feet of administrative spaces to include a Combined DNA Index room and a case room; additionally, it also has 1, 980 square feet of educational areas for GCC\u2019s Criminal Justice program.<\/p>\n

Years ago, GCC joined forces with the Friends of the Crime Lab to host the\u00a0Regional Forensic Science Symposium,\u00a0which later led to a second symposium a year later. \u201cIt was quite successful and brought focus to the island and the work that law enforcement personnel shared from across our region. What was important then is just as important now,\u201d said GCC president Dr. Mary A. Y. Okada.<\/p>\n

With the support of DOI, GCC launched the design of the laboratory, which included DNA and toxicology facilities for the Guam Police Department, along with classrooms and faculty offices for GCC.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur first partnership was with the Governor\u2019s Office and the Department of the Interior. It was back in 2009 when GCC applied for the technical assistance grant to support the First Regional Forensic Science Symposium,\u201d Okada stated. \u201cIt was from this symposium that interest grew in higher education courses in the forensic sciences. Shortly thereafter, GCC secured the Architectural & Engineering funding in 2010.\u201d<\/p>\n

GCC worked with GPD on the specifications for the lab and this was completed in 2012. After this step, Okada gained full support of the GCC board of trustees and the foundation board of governors. \u201cI am forever grateful to the GCC team for thinking this all through and providing the comprehensive guidance to garner their support,\u201d Okada added.<\/p>\n

The addition of a DNA Forensic Lab should significantly increase the ability of local law enforcement to analyze crime scene evidence on-island. The facility will also support GCC\u2019s Associates of Science in Criminal Justice programs for Forensic Computer Examiners and Forensic Lab Technicians.
\nFunding for the design of the GCC DNA Forensic Lab was provided through a DOI grant of $365,653. Construction of the facility is funded through a $5 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that also funded the renovation of Building 100, which is now part of Building E.<\/p>\n

\u201cI truly believe that given the track record for the college, we were able to demonstrate our commitment and ability to see this through,\u201d said Okada.<\/p>\n

The single-story facility includes:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • 4,915 square foot laboratory including a secure receiving room, Alternate Light Source lab, Biology Exam lab, Post Amp lab, Bio-vestibule, Pre Amp lab, Reagent room, lab storage, refrigerator storage and an evidence storage room);<\/li>\n
  • 1,945 square foot administration area that includes two offices, a Combined DNA Index room, a library, and case room; and<\/li>\n
  • An additional 1,980 square foot educational area (2 classrooms, 2 offices) will be used for the Guam Community College Criminal Justice program.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Okada was appreciative of GCC\u2019s partners in the project: The Friends of the Crime Lab, DOI, USDA, GPD, Gov. Lourdes Leon Guerrero and Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio, senators, and Taniguchi Ruth Makio Architects.<\/p>\n

    Construction of the Gregorio G. Perez Crime Lab Annex project broke ground on Oct. 4, 2019. It is designed to be\u00a0Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certified.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The Guam Community College cut the ribbon to signal the opening the\u00a0Gregorio G. Perez Crime…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":384388,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[2612],"class_list":["post-384359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-news","tag-gcc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/384359","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=384359"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/384359\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/384388"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=384359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=384359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=384359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}