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SAKI awarded the City of Duluth Police Department and their partners a grant of over $1 million in FY2015, which the department used to fund several positions—including a sex crimes investigator, an advocate, and a SAKI site coordinator; clerical support; and attorney time for the St. Louis County Attorney's Office.
The City of Duluth Police Department has used SAKI funding to accomplish the following:
In FY2016, SAKI awarded the City of Duluth Police Department additional funding in the amount of $444,152 to improve the quality of responses to future reports of sexual assaults. Emphasis was placed on strengthening the Sexual Assault Nurse Examination program, funding a sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) coordinator position, training a full-time evidence technician to specialize in SAK maintenance, updating anonymous reporting protocol to increase conversion of anonymous SAKs to standard reports, and improving the rate at which previously unsubmitted SAKs and related evidence are submitted for testing.
Duluth received an additional $626,835 in SAKI funding in FY2017. The additional funding was used to decrease the time needed to test previously unsubmitted SAKs and increase investigations and prosecutions of non-local suspects for cases that have previously unsubmitted SAKs.
In FY2018, Duluth received an additional $1-million grant to hire another SAKI-designated investigator, contract a researcher to evaluate victim participation and satisfaction, and extend funding and collaboration between the initiative's core partners. Duluth increased the number of investigations and prosecutions that had evidence from testing SAKs, evaluated anonymous reporting options for survivors, and developed protocols to acquire survivors' consent for SAK testing.
Duluth received $727,651 in SAKI funds in FY2019 to continue the work they have been doing since their first award in FY2015. With this new funding, they will add teletherapy for survivors and develop protocols for suspect exams conducted by SANEs. The City of Duluth will also enhance Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault (PAVSA) services to expedite therapy to victims, which helps address potential trauma and prevent revictimization; expand PAVSA SANE services to offer suspect exams; and continue testing SAKs to discover evidence, which leads to new investigations and prosecutions.
In FY2020, Duluth received $1,341,161 in SAKI funds; this funding spans two purpose areas. With this new funding, Duluth will transition their SAKI multidisciplinary team (MDT) into a Cold Case Working Group and integrate SAKI MDT-developed reforms into a response for all stakeholders to use for current sexual assault cases. The City of Duluth will also build a census of offenders who lawfully owe DNA samples in Duluth and St. Louis County, develop a collection plan for those owed DNA samples, submit samples for testing, and track testing/case outcomes.
In Duluth, PAVSA helps sexual assault survivors reconnect with law enforcement to determine the status and possible new details about cases. Call the confidential Betty Skye Line to connect with a PAVSA advocate at 218-730-5449 or email bettyskyeline@pavsa.org. This line is in memory of Betty Skye, a well-loved survivor and a woman who made a difference in our community.
For more information on the specific SAKI awards for this site, see the table below.
| Year | Amount | Purpose Area |
|---|---|---|
| FY2015 | $1,011,096 | Comprehensive Approach to Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits |
| FY2016 | $444,152 | Comprehensive Approach to Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits |
| FY2017 | $626,835 | Comprehensive Approach to Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits |
| FY2018 | $1,000,000 | Comprehensive Approach to Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits |
| FY2019 | $727,651 | Comprehensive Approach to Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits |
| FY2020 | $662,659 | Expansion of DNA Databases to Assist with Sexual Assault Investigations and Prosecutions: Collection of Lawfully Owed DNA from Convicted Offenders and Arrestee DNA Collections |
| FY2020 | $678,502 | Investigation and Prosecution of Cold Case Sexual Assaults |
Please direct all media inquiries to:
To learn more about the City of Duluth Police Department's progress, read the following news and events.
PAVSA’s SMART program paving the way for future generations
— Nyah Adams, WDIO, Dec 4, 2023
Program to Aid Victims of Sexual Assault, or PAVSA, is a nonprofit rape crisis center that helps to aid victims, survivors and second hand survivors of sexual assault. They first opened their doors in 1975 when a small group of women were determined to combat the issue of sexual assault in the greater Duluth community.
Former Duluth man charged in 2003 sexual assault of teen
— Tom Olsen, Duluth News Tribune, Nov 8, 2021
Man was charged by summons last week with first-degree criminal sexual conduct in the April 2003 incident in the Chester Park area. The case came as a result of the Duluth Police Department's Sexual Assault Kit Initiative.
Matthew McIntosh Pleads Guilty After Sexual Assault Kits Link Him To 2 Attacks
— Jennifer Mayerle, 4 WCCO, Sep 29, 2020
“There’s nothing more important to be able to achieve justice in those cases that are both the most serious, and those where the system has stumbled and has failed victims in the past,” Stumme said.
Man pleads guilty to 2 sexual assualt cases resulting from testing previously unsubmitted SAKs in Duluth, MN.
PAVSA video link from April 9th
— PAVSA Facebook Account, May 11, 2020
Video produced by PAVSA in Duluth, MN detailing the effects of COVID-19 on Sexual Assault Investigations.
With new federal grant, Duluth moves from testing rape kits to prosecuting cases
— Katie Galioto, StarTribune, Dec 11, 2019
During their SAKI project, Duluth has tested 444 kits, that have led to 126 CODIS Hits, 5 convictions, and 13 charges filed,
Suspected serial rapists ID’d by newly tested rape kits
— Brandon Stahl,A.J. Lagoe, Steve Eckert, KARE 11, Oct 17, 2019
DNA tests finally done on her kit have led to criminal charges against two men and One of the men accused is a suspected serial rapist.
Duluth man convicted of sexual assault
— Staff, News Tribune, Jun 21, 2019
DNA from a previously unsubmitted sexual assault kit leds to a conviction of first-degree sexual assault.
Duluth Police: All backlog sexual assault kits tested, investigations ongoing
— Jessie Slater, Duluth 3, May 21, 2019
Duluth, MN has submitted 415 untested SAKs for testing. 50% of those came back with a DNA match in CODIS. 21 cases have been referred to the DA, with 13 cases facing charges and 3 convictions have been made.
Behind Every Kit Is An Individual’: Investigators Examine Hundreds Of Untested Rape Kits
— Jennifer Mayerle, 4 WCCO CBS Minnesota, Mar 11, 2019
Duluth, Minnesota has submitted all of their previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits to the state crime lab for testing. 418 kits were submitted, 203 DNA profiles were uploaded to CODIS, and 116 hits in CODIS.
Duluth Hosts National Sexual Assault Reform Conference
— Alejandra Palacios, ABC Eyewitness News, Sep 11, 2018
The Duluth SAKI Site, in partnership with SAKI TTA, hosted the 2018 SAKI Assembly of Cities from September 11th-13th. This three day conference brought together jurisdictions from across the country to discuss sexual assault response reform.
Partners Clear Untested Sexual Assault Kit Backlog
— Baihly Warfield, WDIO-TV, May 21, 2018
The City of Duluth submitted all their previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits to the state crime laboratory for testing. With SAKI funding they will move forward with notifying victims and investigating cases.
Duluth Taking a Second Look
— Tad Vezner, Pioneer Press, Feb 17, 2017
The state of Minnesota is searching for ways address unsubmitted sexual assault kits. Read the full story to learn more about the strategies that the City of Duluth is using to overcome challenges and bring justice to victims.
Previously untested Duluth rape kits sent for analysis
— Baihly Warfield, ABC Eyewitness News, Sep 2, 2016
Minnesota’s state mandated all police departments inventory their untested rape kits. This mandate, as well as SAKI funding allowed the Duluth Police Department to begin submitting all 523 of their backlogged SAKs in storage, dating as far back as 1993. To learn more, read the full article.
Funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative aims to create a coordinated community response that ensures just resolution to sexual assault cases. Through this program, funding is provided to support multidisciplinary community response teams engaged in the comprehensive reform of jurisdictions approaches to sexual assault cases resulting from evidence found in previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits.
