Fort Worth police close to clearing rape kit backlog
NBC DFW
[{'start': '0.599', 'end': '4.937', 'text': "you know when that's going to be  happening. Coming up here in a  few minutes. Okay. Thanks,  Kevan. New developments tonight  in our NBC 5 investigation.  Justice shelved, we revealed how  Fort Worth police did not follow  the law for processing sexual  assault evidence more than 900  times. Now, after months of  work, the department appears  close to clearing that massive  rape kit backlog and closing a  painful chapter for some victims  of sexual assault. Senior  investigative reporter Scott  Friedman is here now with the  story. Brian, after we uncovered  the backlog, Fort Worth police  launched an aggressive effort to  process hundreds of rape kits in  just six months. Kits that are  used to collect key evidence in  sex assault cases. Now, the  department says it's on the  verge of clearing the backlog,  but two women who spoke out in  our first report say it may take  more for police to regain the  trust of survivors. The  revelations of a rape kit  backlog set off a wave of  concern in Fort Worth last fall.  We have failed victims in our  city, the police chief issuing a  forceful apology to victims and  their off. And they should be.  In the months since then, the  department has hired more crime  lab analysts and outsourced kits  to the Tarrant County Medical  Examiner's office, pushing to  process more than 900 rape kits  the department had failed to  clear in 90 days, as state law  requires. But now the department  tells us at last count, it had  reduced the backlog to just 66  remaining kits, and that it  remains on track to eliminate  the backlog in a rapid six month  time frame. What do you think  about the speed that they moved  once this came to light? The  speed was expected because the  light was shining on them. They  pulled. We pulled the veil out.  Latrice Godfrey spoke out in our  very first report revealing the  backlog. Her sexual assault  evidence sat on a shelf for 11  months before Fort Worth police  processed it almost an entire  year, and the kit had not even  been tested. Have not been  tested. Today, Latrice says she  appreciates the apologies from  police. But with Chief Neil  Noakes set to retire soon,  Godfrey wonders what the  department will do to ensure it  doesn't let survivors down in  the future. What happens when  the veil goes back up and we  move past this story and we're  on to the next story? Is this  going to happen again? And what  is it that you guys are going to  do to prevent it? In interviews,  Noakes has insisted changes made  at the crime lab and stronger  oversight will prevent a repeat.  We are absolutely committed not  just to correcting this problem,  but making sure going forward we  never end up in this situation  again. In a statement, the  department tells us new policy  changes will ensure deadlines  are met in the future, saying  all incoming cases received by  the Fort Worth Crime Laboratory  are sent within a week of  receipt to the Tarrant County  Medical Examiner. If there are  delays, the department says Fort  Worth PD detectives will contact  victims and inform them and that  the department is committed to  accountability and transparency  for the crime lab and the  detectives. At one point, the  city's crime lab was so short  staffed it had been unable to  process sexual assault evidence  for months. How does the Fort  Worth Police Department rebuild  trust now with victims of sexual  assault? Work with victims, work  with survivors? Just be there  with them. Just be there with  them. Lavinia masters knows what  it's like to feel forgotten. The  state law that created the 90  day rape kit testing deadline is  named for Masters. After  reporting an assault as a child  in Dallas. Her kit sat on a  shelf for 21 years before her  attacker was identified. But she  says ensuring victims have  support means more than just  meeting deadlines. It means that  victims are kept informed  through every step of the  process. Are you making sure  they're getting the resources  they deserve? What are you doing  above and beyond? That's my  mindset. Now you should go above  and beyond for every survivor  that you have holding on those  shelves there in that city. We  may get an update on the status  of the remaining 66 evidence  kits at a City Council meeting  next week. We will be there to  let you know what they say.  Survivors will be watching too,  because as they continue"}]