Touched by the Brianna Denison abduction case, Sparks police employees have raised $1,795 in private funds in one week for Washoe County Crime Lab's DNA testing program.

With a backlog of 3,000 DNA samples in need of processing at the Washoe County Crime Lab, Sparks police officers, detectives, civilian police department employees and Sparks Councilman Ron Smith stepped in to help. Sheriff’s officials announced Feb. 4 that they needed $150,000 to clear the backlog — a goal that was achieved late last week after the Sparks fundraising efforts had already begun.

DNA samples can be the key to solving crimes and may help find a suspect in the Jan. 20 disappearance of Denison, 19. Other law enforcement agencies and the public have contributed money to accelerate DNA processing for the lab.

Sheriff Mike Haley received a check for $1,795 on Thursday — one week after the fund drive began — presented by Sparks Police Motor Officer Shane Minick, the president of the Sparks Police Protective Association.

The association, which is the police union, has focused some of its recent efforts on charity, said Det. Danny James, the association's vice president. Board members agreed to donate $1,000 to help in the effort, each contributing $20 of their own money, and challenged every police department employee to also contribute.

"There are a lot of emotions involved in this case," James said. "All the board members are parents, and we could imagine what her parents are going through. I hope it helps to bring closure to this case."

Minick said that many DNA samples need to be input into the DNA database, as required by the Nevada Legislature last session.

"How many citizens of Sparks' DNA has kind of been sitting?" Minick asked. "This will hopefully get some other cases solved by helping the lab out with this money."

Minick said convicted felons are required to pay for the input on their DNA analysis into the database, but these fees were not keeping up with the costs.

Sheriff Haley said funds from offender programs aren't keeping up with the cost of processing 350 DNA samples or more per month received by the lab from around the state. Offenders don't always pay their fines, he said, and state legislators will be confronted with the long-term funding issue so the public is not faced with this problem again.

The money donated by Sparks police employees was not part of the department's budget.

"It came out of our employees' pockets and (union) membership dues," Minick said. "We had a good response. We knew every little bit was going to help."

The Sparks Police Association, a separate group dedicated to raising funds to help employees who are going through tough times, also donated $100 to the fundraising effort, Minick said.

Funds raised in excess of the county’s $150,000 goal will be used to test DNA samples in the future and add to the DNA database for Washoe County.

"The compassion shown by our citizens and local businessmen and women is so characteristic of the American spirit," Haley said. "When they see a community need, their generosity is limitless."