Indiana Toxicology Lab Still Faces Long Backlog

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The head of Indiana's agency for drug and alcohol tests in criminal cases says it is making progress toward cutting what is now an eight-month backlog in analysis results.

The Indiana Department of Toxicology has struggled with staff turnover and other troubles before it was moved out of the Indiana University School of Medicine in 2012. Its caseload grew from nearly 6,000 tests in 2012 to almost 6,700 last year.

Agency director Ed Littlejohn tells The Indianapolis Star he believes changes are taking hold after two years leading the department.

Littlejohn says the department is still relying on outside contractors to conduct much of the testing, which requires more time.