Jennifer Harmon

Jennifer has held the position of Crime Laboratory Director and Assistant Director in two of the three most populous counties in California; both with populations exceeding more than 3.3M. Jennifer has been in forensic science since 2000 and has more than 17 years of crime lab management and leadership experience, and 25 years of technical experience as an antemortem and postmortem forensic toxicologist. She has participated in numerous controlled drinking studies and ride-a-longs with several state and local law enforcement agencies. She has also audited the Drug Recognition Evaluation (DRE) Program and observed evaluations with the California Highway Patrol of individuals suspected to being under the influence of drugs. She has testified in nearly 200 cases involving drugs, alcohol, and poly-drug use. Jennifer has presented over 125 times for professional organizations at the local, state, and national level including the California District Attorneys Association, Governors Highway Safety Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, Indiana University’s Borkenstein Drug Course, the National Governors Association, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. She is a past president of the California Association of Crime Laboratory Directors, a past president of the California Association of Toxicologists, is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police Drug Evaluation and Classification Program’s Technical Advisory Panel and has testified in front of the California State Senate and Assembly Public Safety Committees as well as the U.S. House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Digital Commerce. In 2018, Jennifer was the recipient of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Public Service Award for her work in improving forensic drug testing and screening in California. Jennifer has published peer reviewed scientific literature, is a current member of the faculty at the National Judicial College, and has successfully co-authored legislation signed by California's governor Newsom. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology, option in Physiology, a double minor in Chemistry and Political Science from California State University at Long Beach and a master’s in public administration from Brandman University.