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Chief Of Troubled Long Island Crime Lab Reassigned

MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) -- A Long Island police department has relieved a crime lab chief of his duties following revelations the lab had been cited for improper procedures by a national accrediting agency.

Newsday on Friday said Nassau County Police lab director Det. Lt. James Granelle was reassigned because he failed to tell his superiors in November about the poor review.

Earlier this week, the lab was placed on probation by the accrediting agency. It is the only one in the country currently on probation.

A recent assessment cited the lab with failing to comply with procedures on maintaining equipment and instruments and more than a dozen other issues.

The police department plans to bring in an independent expert to resolve problems with the lab which evaluates evidence in criminal cases.
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(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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