It's an effort to make the community feel safer. After nearly five years of construction, the Guam Forensics Lab, located inside the Guam Community College, is finally completed. A ribbon-cutting ceremony happened earlier today, to mark the momentous occasion.

The project was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Assistant secretary for insular and international affairs Carmen Cantor was at today’s event, congratulating both the Guam Police Department and GCC on their new facility.

"The addition of a DNA lab toxicology facility strengthens GCC’s curriculum and places the institution at the forefront of technology and forensic science in the region. I want to acknowledge Dr. Okada for conceiving and holding on to that vision and congratulate the entire GCC network and everyone who played a role in realizing the vision of the innovative building before us here today," Cantor announced.

Chief of Police Stephen Ignacio said, "I think what this building means for Guam is hope. Hope for the families of unsolved homicides, hope for victims of rape because now, we wait from anywhere to 18 to 24 months to get results for a DNA analysis, we send it off island. But this brings hope to our island that we can now have the capacity to do the work here locally."

The new forensics lab will also support GCC’s associates of science in criminal justice programs for forensic computer examiners and forensic lab technicians.

However, officials say it will be sometime before they can fully equip the facility and train the staff.