IBERIA PARISH — After years of planning, Acadiana’s new crime lab is about to open in New Iberia.

The $26 million, 41,000-square-foot facility replaces the region’s aging lab that had been in use since 1989.

The old building faced significant challenges, including flooding risks, cramped conditions, and outdated workspaces.

Kevin Ardoin, the lab’s director, said those limitations often forced staff to work around less-than-ideal conditions.

“It was just not the best laboratory practices,” Ardoin said. “Now you’re housing evidence and expensive equipment in a proper environment that we did not have before.”

The new crime lab includes upgraded DNA and drug chemistry labs, secure evidence storage, and a gun range for firearms testing.

Officials say the expanded space and modern technolo

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