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ORCHID CELLMARK ANNOUNCES EXCLUSIVE DNA CONTRACT WITH CITY OF LONDON POLICE
September 25th , 2006
Orchard Cellmark 5 year contract to provide the City of London Police with DNA testing services for PACE mouth swab samples.
Orchid Cellmark, one of the UK's largest forensic service providers, has been awarded a 5 year contract to provide the City of London Police with DNA testing services for PACE(1) mouth swab samples. This contract is among the first to be announced following Orchid Cellmark's move to offer its range of forensic services directly to UK police forces.
Orchid Cellmark, a specialist DNA analysis company with a long history of providing UK police and government agencies with forensic analysis services, has recently started offering its services directly to UK forces as Cellmark Forensic Services. David Hartshorne, Commercial Director said: "We have been providing cutting edge forensic services for the past two decades in a market where quality, speed of service and cost effectiveness are paramount. We are delighted that the City of London Police have recognised the value of working directly with Orchid Cellmark and have selected us to assist them in their fight against crime."
With 200 specialist staff in Abingdon, Oxfordshire and some of the most advanced DNA laboratories in the world, Orchid Cellmark provides a full range of forensic DNA services. From the routine testing of DNA samples for submission to the National DNA Database® to the collection and analysis of evidence for the investigation of the most serious crimes, Orchid Cellmark has built a reputation for the quality and speed of its work and its ability to produce results from particularly small and compromised samples.
Jeff Alpe, Scientific Support Manager for the City of London Police said: "We believe that Cellmark Forensic Service's combination of quality, rapid turnaround times and customer service represents excellent value for money. We had no hesitation in awarding them this contract."
(1) PACE Samples
PACE samples are mouth swabs taken under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 from suspects who have been arrested for a "recordable" offence. DNA profiles generated from these samples are added to the UK National DNA Database.
About Orchid Cellmark
Cellmark Forensic Services is a registered name of Orchid Cellmark Ltd, part of Orchid Cellmark Inc, a leading International provider of DNA testing services for human identity testing and agricultural applications. In the human identity area, the company provides DNA testing services for forensic investigation, paternity testing and family relationship analysis, and security applications. In the agriculture field, Orchid Cellmark provides DNA testing services for selective trait breeding. Orchid Cellmark's strong market positions in these segments reflect the company's accredited laboratories in the U.S. and U.K., its innovative genetic analysis technologies and expertise, and the world-renowned Cellmark brand that has been associated with exceptional quality, reliability and customer service for nearly two decades. More information on Orchid Cellmark Ltd can be found at www.orchidcellmark.co.uk. More information on Orchid Cellmark Inc. can be found at www.orchid.com
About the City of London Police
The City of London Police is responsible for the safety of everyone in London's 'Square Mile'. The 'Square Mile' is at the heart of the world’s financial market and while there are only 15,000 residents, each day, some 900,000 commuters, as well as tourists pass through the area.
More information on the City of London Police can be found at www.cityoflondon.police.uk
