BUTTE COUNTY, CA (MPG) - ANDE, the global leader in rapid DNA testing, made a substantial donation to the Anthropology Department at California State University, Chico as part of National Forensic Science Week.

The sizable donation of technology and support from ANDE was made in honor of our own Sheriff Kory L. Honea. In a Facebook post from ANDE, it states “Sheriff Honea provided the leadership for the response to the 2018 Camp Fire and the more recent North Complex Fire. As part of his leadership, Sheriff Honea embraced the valuable contribution that Rapid DNA could make in helping the citizens of Butte County receive timely identification of victims of these devastating fires. Under Sheriff Honea’s leadership, BCSO has also harnessed Rapid DNA to reduce crime and bring closure to cases where the identification of human remains is required.”

Dami Bullock of ANDE shares that Sheriff Honea “stood out for us”, crediting his aptitude for utilizing technology to better assist him and his responsibility as Sheriff and Coroner. Bullock says, “He’s really been a thought-leader about adopting Rapid DNA technology and because of our partnership with him, we wanted to do something meaningful for National Forensic Science Week.”

ANDE partners with law enforcement, military and government agencies to provide Rapid DNA identification in as little as 90 minutes. Bullock states, “there's no lab in the United States that can run a traditional sample of DNA in 90 minutes.” The unit is mobile and can be transported to crime scenes if necessary, to process a wide variety of samples: bone, blood, saliva, teeth - anything human. This ability expedites the identification of victims but also of suspects in criminal investigations, which Butte County has benefitted from.

According to Bullock, ANDE’s donation to Chico State University Anthropology Department in honor of Sheriff Honea includes one ANDE Rapid DNA unit, and maintenance, training and lectures to their staff/students for years to come. “For National Science Week, given our history over the last year and half with him (Honea), it just makes sense that we honor him,” with this says Bullock. “It’s a big commitment from us.”