DECATUR, Ill. (WMBD)– A new laboratory in Decatur will soon expand Illinois’s DNA testing capacity.

Illinois State Police (ISP) Director Brendan Kelly announced final accreditations for the forensic lab are now officially open for business.

The four-level facility along Route 51 houses 12,200 square feet of laboratory space and will serve law enforcement across the state.

“This top-tier facility will increase capacity to significantly reduce turnaround time for DNA testing, produce rapid results, and further reduce the case backlog,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Since day one, my administration has been committed to delivering justice for every Illinoisan, and this new Decatur lab will ensure we can accomplish that.”

The new lab will utilize robotics which will increase testing capacity and decrease turnaround time for crimes involving DNA testing.

“The Decatur facility is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technology and will be staffed with highly trained individuals who are critical to providing DNA analysis for the citizens of Illinois,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly.  “The new lab will further reduce backlogs and allow us to solve crimes faster and bring justice to all involved.”

ISP announced in June that the number of pending sexual assault forensic assignments older than 180 days reached zero. This was after decades of sexual assault forensic backlogs.