NORTHWEST ARKANSAS (KFSM) -- There's a proposal to build another state crime lab in Northwest Arkansas--an area that is now the second busiest in the state when it comes to crime.
A crime lab in Northwest Arkansas would save police officers a six hour round trip drive to Little Rock. Right now, if a law enforcement agency in Northwest Arkansas has any evidence that needs processing, from DNA to drug samples, an officer has to spend an entire day driving to Little Rock to drop it off at the only crime lab in the state.
"Having a crime lab in Northwest Arkansas makes a lot of sense," prosecuting attorney Nathan Smith said. "I mean this is where the state's population growth is primarily happening."
Before the crime lab can become a reality, Smith said the state will need to decide whether it's worth the money.