Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Police Department

TO:	Diane Stoddard, Interim City Manager
FROM:	Detective Zachariah Thomas
DATE:	03/07/2016
RE:	Forensic Laser System

The Police Department requested bids for a Forensic Laser System.  Bids were received from TracER™, Laser Light and Spex Laser.

Staff conducted tests with the Coherent TracER™ Laser and Laser Light and had discussions with personnel from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Wichita Police Department Latent Print Unit, Johnson County Crime Lab, Federal Bureau of Investigation and The San Mateo County Forensic Laboratory regarding the Coherent TracER™ Laser.  It was determined the Coherent TracER™ Laser to be superior in durability, portability and quality.  All our regional crime laboratory partners currently use the Coherent TracER™ Laser.  The price for the Laser Light is $27,000 and the price for the Spex Laser is $48,000.

There is only one distributor for the Coherent TracER™ Laser.  We have acquired a bid for a refurbished unit ($23,902.45).    The vendor advised a new Coherent TracER™ Laser would cost $28,500.  The refurbished unit would fulfill our needs in examining evidence years into the future and comes in at the lowest cost.  A bid and sole source justification is included. 

Funding:

Funding was approved in the 2016 budget.

Action Request:

Approve the purchase of the refurbished Coherent TracER™ Laser compact 4W laser system for $23,902.45.

Cc:     Tarik Khatib             Bobbie Walthall

          Casey Toomay                  Michael Pattrick

          Brandon McGuire