U.S. Postal Inspection Service Forensic Laboratory Services

Forensic Laboratory Services (FLS) consists of the National Forensic Laboratory near Washington, D.C., and 22 digital laboratories throughout the country. FLS has been accredited since 2009 and employs forensic scientists, analysts, and contractors to assist in identifying individuals responsible for postal-related crimes. FLS comprises four units which analyze a wide variety of evidence, such as explosives, firearms, handwriting, fingerprints, controlled substances, computers, and phones. Our objective was to determine whether the Postal Inspection Service has efficient and effective controls for packaging and safeguarding evidence.