FORT MYERS, Fla.- The Florida Department of Law Enforcement tells WINK News, its Fort Myers DNA lab is helping to greatly reduce a statewide evidence submissions backlog since it came on board in October.

It has also helped take the load off the Tampa lab, where evidence from local cases used to go.

"It's already making a difference, our analyst are talking to representatives from the Lee county Sheriff's Office, Fort Myers Police Department, and the State Attorney's Office on a daily as basis as far as the status of cases," said Chief of Forensics, Michael Rafferty.

Rafferty says having a lab in the area has also improved communication between forensic analysts and investigators.

For legal reasons, they can't share the cases they're working on, but analysts tell us the breaks in cases are happening.