The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Crime Laboratory has become one of only 14 agencies in Texas accredited in the firearms discipline by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB).

The sheriff's office announced the achievement Sept. 28, saying the lab completed the accreditation process in 13 months. For Woodlands-area residents, the certification carries practical weight: the MCSO Crime Laboratory handles forensic evidence in criminal cases across Montgomery County, including The Woodlands.

The process took 13 months.

ANAB is recognized under the Texas Administrative Code to provide forensic accreditation. Under its forensic testing program, labs are evaluated against ISO/IEC 17025, an international standard that requires documented procedures, validated methods and a quality management system. ANAB uses subject matter experts with experience in the specific forensic discipline being assessed, rather than general auditors.

Accredited labs must demonstrate competence, impartiality and consistent operations. Results from accredited forensic labs are used in both criminal and civil proceedings, and accreditation provides a layer of confidence that the testing meets internationally recognized benchmarks.

The firearms discipline covers the examination of firearms and ammunition evidence. Only 13 other agencies in Texas hold the same ANAB firearms accreditation, according to the sheriff's office, though the agency did not name them.

The sheriff's office credited seven staff members for their contributions to the effort: Manager Christy Dobson, Kristen Mertins, Stephanie Luehr, Lt. Rick Anderson (Ret.), Hunter Jones, Sgt. Erin Burleson and Sgt. Kyle Koonce.

Sheriff Wesley Doolittle leads the agency. No statement from Doolittle about the accreditation appeared in the announcement.

The sheriff's office did not specify when the 13-month process began or when the accreditation expires. The agency's own press release page was unavailable; the announcement was published through Woodlands Online.

The MCSO Crime Laboratory continues to serve as the forensic arm of the county's primary law enforcement agency. Residents with questions can contact the sheriff's office through its website at mctxsheriff.org.