New $245 Million Forensic Science Facility Is a ‘Watershed Moment’

Center for Forensic Science and Protective Medicine, 9400 W. Doyne Ave. Photo by Graham Kilmer.

State and county officials cut the ribbon Friday on a new $245 million forensic science facility on the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center campus.

The new Center for Forensic Science and Protective Medicine, 9400 W. Doyne Ave., houses the county’s Office of the Medical Examiner and Office of Emergency Management, the state Department of Justice’s Milwaukee Crime Lab, and Versiti‘s Organ Procurement Organization and Tissue Bank.

Gov. Tony Evers called the new facility a “watershed moment” for the state, saying it would “increase efficiency, expand opportunity for partnerships and enhance the education of our future forensic science professionals.”

The byword at the ribbon-cutting was collaboration, which state and county officials believe will be facilitated by the new building. Situating the building next to the Medical College of Wisconsin will also expand training opportunities for the college’s forensic pathology fellows, the Medical Examiner’s Office and the state crime lab.

“This is a beautiful building, but it’s also much more than just a building,” said County Executive David Crowley. “It’s a crucial step towards streamlining operations, improving collaboration, strengthening our region’s ability to respond to public safety challenges.”

The building was a joint development funded by both the county and the state. The State Building Commission provided about $115 million in funding and a $24 million grant through the Badger Bounceback program. The county contributed $130 million toward the project.

Construction on the four-story, 217,150-square-foot facility began in 2023. The building is an improvement on the aging facilities that state and county employees are leaving behind. Since 1989, the Medical Examiner’s Office has worked out of a squat, largely windowless building at 933 W. Highland Ave. The state’s Milwaukee Crime Lab has similarly operated out of a former grocery store building since the 1980s.

“We have dramatically modernized the work that is going to be done by our state crime labs by moving to this new facility, and there’s a powerful message in that this state is committed to remaining on the cutting edge of forensic sciences,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. 

For the Medical Examiner’s Office, the new building comes with purpose-built space that allows it to more efficiently conduct the roughly 2,000 autopsies it performs each year.

“The creation of this state-of-the-art medical examiner’s office will enhance the quality and efficiency of death investigations in Milwaukee County,” said District Attorney Kent Lovern. “And from a public safety standpoint, these are the most important investigations undertaken.”

The building also includes new purpose-built facilities for the county’s Office of Emergency Management, including an Emergency Operations Center that can act as a central hub for emergency and public safety personnel to coordinate during major events. There is also a new 911 dispatch center for the personnel who handle 911 and EMS calls.

“They stay on the line with people in crisis, offering a lifeline to safety and calm and supportive presence,” Crowley said. “They deserve a workplace that reflects our commitment to the work that they do each and every single day, and I’m proud that we can finally provide it.”

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