DOTHAN, Ala. — After years of planning, a new forensic drug chemistry laboratory has opened in Dothan, promising faster test results, quicker prosecutions and safer communities across southeast Alabama.
The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences (ADFS) facility will serve seven Wiregrass counties: Houston, Henry, Dale, Geneva, Pike, Covington and Coffee. Local law enforcement officials say the lab is a major step forward after more than a decade of sending suspected drug evidence as far as Montgomery or Auburn for testing — often 100 miles away. Those delays frequently led to crowded dockets and slow-moving cases.
“Drug evidence is critical to moving cases forward, and until now, agencies here in the Wiregrass had to wait months for results,” said ADFS Director Angelo Della Manna. “This facility is helping to make not just the Wiregrass, but all of Alabama a safer place each and every day by taking some of the most dangerous drugs off the street and conducting state-of-the-art forensic testing in a timely manner.”
The $4.5 million lab specializes in drug chemistry, analyzing narcotics seized in criminal investigations. Officials estimate testing turnaround times will be cut roughly in half, easing pressure on local courts. District attorneys say that could mean fewer backlogs and fewer cases delayed for grand juries.
Governor Kay Ivey called the project an investment in public safety. “It represents exactly the kind of investment I believe in when it strengthens public safety, supports law enforcement and protects Alabama’s families,” Ivey said at the ribbon cutting. “From day one, my administration has made it a priority to give our justice system the tools and resources needed to get the job done right. That’s why this facility was built with efficiency, capacity and the latest forensic technologies.”
Attorney General Steve Marshall also underscored the lab’s importance to prosecutions. “None of those arrests can take place, none of those convictions are going to be able to take place absent the work that our forensic science department does,” Marshall said. “These scientists give law enforcement and prosecutors the ability to keep their communities safer.”
The project had been in the works for years. Rep. Steve Clouse of Ozark, who helped secure funding, recalled how the idea was first discussed casually over lunch with Della Manna. “He called me probably six or seven years ago and said, hey, I’m coming through Ozark, let me buy you lunch at Applebee’s,” Clouse said. “And on the back of a napkin we came up with a plan. It’s been a long time coming.”
The Dothan lab earned accreditation from the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) on July 10, 2025, meeting national standards for forensic quality. While its initial focus is drug testing, ADFS designed the facility with room for expansion, possibly into autopsies and other forensic work in the future.
Law enforcement officials say the lab will bring immediate relief to southeast Alabama, but they also hope it won’t be the last. Leaders across the state are urging lawmakers to consider funding similar regional labs in the years ahead.
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