POLITICIANS TOUR CRIME LAB, SEE NEED FOR LARGER FACILITY

The SEMO Crime Lab needs more space to operate.

That message came across loud and clear Thursday afternoon as Lt. Gov. Roger Wilson, Democratic congressional candidate Tony Heckemeyer and his son, state Rep. Joe Heckemeyer of Sikeston, toured the crime lab's cramped quarters.

The crime lab operates out of a small, white house at Southeast Missouri State University.

Dr. Robert Briner, who directs the crime lab, met with Wilson and the Heckemeyers.

He reviewed plans to relocate the lab to a university warehouse on Ellis Street that has been used by the school's physical plant department.

The existing crime lab has about 2,000 square feet of space.

The Ellis Street building has 14,000 square feet of space. Briner said the new crime lab would use at least 7,000 square feet of renovated space.

It would be even larger if the lab is expanded to include a morgue that could store as many as six to eight bodies and provide space for autopsies.

The closest autopsy facility is in Farmington, Briner said.

Briner said expanded quarters would also allow for more training for students seeking a master's degree in forensic science.

The state of Missouri has contributed $100,000 to the project as has the university.

Wilson said another $800,000 has been requested from the federal government.

Briner said the entire project could cost as much as $1.3 million.

Wilson said the need for better quarters was clear. "It's not hard to convince me," he said as he toured the maze of rooms in the existing crime lab.

Heckemeyer agreed with Wilson that the lab needs more room.

Briner said the crime lab examines evidence in about 3,700 cases a year from throughout the region.

Newer quarters would provide better evidence and improve criminal prosecutions in Southeast Missouri, Wilson said.

The lieutenant governor said he hopes Congress provides the funding.

He said Missourians deserve to get a return on some of the money they pay in federal taxes. "That's our money too," he said when asked why the state didn't put more money into the project.

Joe Heckemeyer said the federal government may fund the bulk of the cost of the relocation effort.

But he said the state will pay much of the operating costs.

Wilson was acting governor Thursday because Gov. Mel Carnahan was out of the state.

Wilson spoke earlier in the day at a luncheon for the alumni of the Cape Leadership program.

He told the Cape Leadership gathering that he planned to seek re-election as lieutenant governor in two years.

At one time, he had considered running for governor. He said he abandoned the idea because he wanted to spend more time with his family.