NCJ Number
220894
Journal
Forensic Magazine Volume: 4 Issue: 5 Dated: October/November 2007 Pages: 51-55
Date Published
October 2007
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article explores the working partnerships and facts that drove the design of the new San Diego County Forensics Center.
Abstract
The San Diego County Forensics Center is just one example of the levels of partnership that are available to agencies wishing to co-locate. The participants of the San Diego County Medical Examiner and Veterinarian worked collaboratively throughout the process of design. They understood staying focused on their common goals was the greatest benefit to all parties involved. In the forensic industry today, the term partnering commonly refers to the synergy and economy that results when two or more groups merge resources to achieve a common goal. When the San Diego County Medical Examiner (SDME) and county Veterinarian needed new facilities, county administrators undertook a needs assessment to understand what benefits might be obtained by co-locating both agencies under one roof. The new San Diego County Forensics Center is approximately 84,000 square feet. Both the SDME and the Veterinarian are now located within a large county campus of multiple buildings. Co-locating allows for sharing back-of-house, site, and layout features. The most obvious benefit of partnering is it brings together two or more entities into one facility to avoid building multiple structures. The most tangible impact of partnering is construction and operating cost savings. Partnering makes sense from both an initial and operational cost standpoint and from a sustainable standpoint.