Hollywood police find untested rape kits in evidence room refrigerator

HOLLYWOOD

For years, 94 untested rape kits were left sitting in an evidence room refrigerator at the Hollywood Police Department.

The kits, some dating back to 2005, are now in the spotlight as the department's top brass reviews what went wrong and why.

The kits were discovered shortly after Frank Fernandez, who took over as chief in August, ordered an audit of the entire department, including the property and evidence room where the rape kits were found.

Of the 162 rape kits discovered in the fridge, 94 were never taken to the Crime Lab at the Broward Sheriff's Office for testing, records show.

After being tagged as top priorities, 24 of the kits were sent to the lab and three are being tested right now, said Hollywood spokeswoman Raelin Storey.

"There are a small number of kits we believe should have been tested," Storey said. "We raced those to BSO right away."

Fernandez says the problem has since been corrected and won't happen again.

"I don't want people to think we have 94 rapists out there running around," Fernandez said. "This is an evolving process. We found the situation. It's been addressed. There is a new process in place and we are working closer with the lab."

Fernandez said no mistakes were made by staff because they followed the protocol that existed at the time.

Link:
Hollywood police find untested rape kits in evidence room refrigerator