MADISON, Wis. – Today, Attorney General Brad Schimel appointed Nicole Roehm to lead the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory Bureau (WSCLB).
“Nikki’s experience on the DNA bench will serve her well in directing the Wisconsin State Crime Lab,” said Attorney General Schimel. “As advances are made in the world of forensic science, I am confident that Nikki will ensure our state’s forensic scientists will harness those technologies and all support needed for crime scene response is promptly provided to local law enforcement across the state, to ensure justice is delivered to crime victims and communities.”
Roehm graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a bachelor’s degree in biology, and earned a master’s degree in pharmacy with a certificate in forensic serology and DNA from the University of Florida. Roehm started at DOJ in 2007, where she worked at the Milwaukee crime lab as a forensic scientist in the DNA Analysis Unit, before being promoted to Forensic Scientist Supervisor for the DNA Analysis Unit in May 2011, in November 2016 Roehm was promoted to Deputy Director of the WSCLB. Roehm is a member of the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors, Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists, and resides in Oconomowoc with her husband, Jeff.
Roehm replaces Jana Champion as director of the WSCLB, who recently retired.
The WSCLB, made up of more than 180 criminal justice professionals, operates laboratories in Milwaukee, Madison, and Wausau. The crime laboratories in Madison and Milwaukee are full service labs providing analysis in Controlled Substances, Toxicology, DNA/Serology, Latent Prints/Footwear, and Forensic Imaging. In addition, the Madison lab houses the State DNA Databank and the Milwaukee lab provides analyses in Firearms/Tool marks and Trace Chemistry. All three laboratories provide crime scene field response for local law enforcement agencies.