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In FY2016, SAKI awarded the Phoenix Police Department a grant in the amount of $1.5 million, which it used to test SAKs and implement several initiatives involving training, investigations, and evidence processing. The Phoenix Police Department works closely with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office on their SAKI project.
For more information on the specific SAKI awards for this site, see the table below.
| Year | Amount | Purpose Area |
|---|---|---|
| FY2016 | $1,597,406 | Comprehensive Approach to Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits |
Please direct all media inquiries to:
Phoenix police use DNA to arrest suspect in decades-old rape and kidnapping cases
— Stephanie Murray, Arizona Republic, Aug 8, 2025
"Phoenix police used a national DNA database to arrest a man linked to multiple kidnapping and sexual assault cases dating back 27 years.
Abraham Ramirez, 54, was recently arrested in connection with four sexual assault and kidnapping cases that occurred in the Phoenix area from 1998 to 2013, police said.
The cold cases went unsolved for years.
“This arrest demonstrates the excellent work of our combined investigative and forensic teams and their unwavering commitment to those who experience sexual assault trauma,” according to Donna Rossi, communications director for the Phoenix Police Department, in a news release."
State getting convictions as it slowly works through rape kit backlog
— Philip Athey, Cronkite News, Apr 20, 2018
As of March 2018, Arizona has tested 54 percent of their backlog of 6,424 untested sexual assault kits. To prevent a future backlog in Arizona, state law now requires that all new rape kits be tested within 15 days.
SAKI Makes Forensic Magazine Headlines
— Forensic Magazine, Jan 16, 2018
As 2018 ushers in another year of coordinated sexual assault response for SAKI grantees, Forensic Magazine reflected on SAKI's legacy to test all unsubmitted sexual assault kits and pursue prosecutions in Cuyahoga County (OH), Memphis (TN), and Phoenix (AZ). SAKI Director and Senior Forensic Policy Advisor at the Office of Justice Programs, Dr. Angela Williamson, was interviewed as part of the magazine's "Rape Kits in America" series. Read all 3 parts for a full picture of today's challenges and successes.
Committed to clearing untested rape kit backlog
— Office of the Governor Doug Ducey, Oct 17, 2016
Governor Doug Ducey established a task force in January 2016, known as Executive Order 2016-02, dedicated to inventorying Arizona’s untested rape kits, making recommendations about testing the kits, and creating policies to ensure the kits are tracked more efficiently in the future. He recently received a report from the task force outlining a plan to address the injustice of the untested rape kits, and suggested that all local jurisdictions adopt a test-all approach as well as contract with a vendor to establish a state-wide evidence tracking system.
Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and Phoenix Police Department awarded more than $2 million in grants to test rape kits
— Amanda Jacinto, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, Oct 3, 2016
The Phoenix Police Department and Maricopa County have each received funding from the U.S. Department of Justice to analyze and test previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits. Both entities will also use the funding to train staff, investigate cold cases, and process evidence surrounding sexual assault. To learn more about Arizona’s efforts to combat sexual assault, 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.
