The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Crime Laboratory opened its doors to the public Wednesday, Sept. 17, giving Amarillo residents and local media a rare look at the scientific work that underpins thousands of criminal cases each year. The open house was part of National Forensic Science Week, an annual effort to highlight the behind-the-scenes professionals who turn raw evidence into courtroom facts.

The Amarillo lab serves 26 counties across the Texas Panhandle, stretching from Childress to the Oklahoma border. From September 2024 through August 2025, the lab received 4,160 evidence submissions and returned nearly 2,940 completed cases to law enforcement agencies. In addition, 147 cases were destroyed after courts issued final orders. Evidence technicians manage everything from

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