Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Receives $98,000 Grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety

SAN FRANCISCO— The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) announced today that it received a $98,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to support efforts to improve traffic and road safety casework. This marks OCME’s second consecutive year as an OTS grantee, following a $92,000 award in 2024. The grant program runs until September 30, 2026.

The OTS grant program provides funding to public agencies to implement strategies that reduce traffic-related injuries and fatalities, strengthen data-driven safety measures, and enhance public awareness around safe driving behaviors.

“We thank the California Office of Traffic Safety for this generous gift and look forward to using these funds to continue delivering leading quality medicolegal investigations and public safety data,” said Dr. Luke Rodda, Chief Forensic Toxicologist and Director of OCME’s Forensic Laboratory Division. “With this grant, OCME will further staff training and identify opportunities to apply AI to our operations.”

The grant will support forensic toxicology analysis and fund an entry-level position to provide professional development opportunities for students pursuing careers in forensics and public service.

“Funding from this grant will help further the invaluable services that the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner provides to the San Francisco community,” said David Serrano Sewell, OCME's Executive Director.

The Forensic Laboratory Division of the San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner provides accredited, court-defensible forensic testing for the public and the justice system to support casework related to impaired driving, sexual assault, death investigation, and public safety. The division delivers comprehensive toxicology and laboratory services grounded in peer-reviewed science, rigorous quality standards, and transparent reporting practices. The division is accredited under ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and by the American Board of Forensic Toxicology (ABFT).

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.