Official: Forensics TV partly responsible for new Harris County facility

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The first shovels of dirt were tossed Wednesday to start work on Harris County's new forensics center.

The center is being built next-door to the current facility on the southern end of the Medical Center.

During today's official groundbreaking, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett said TV shows that feature sleuthing by medical examiners can take part of the credit for the public's interest in the work done at the forensic center.

The new building, scheduled to open in 2017, will dwarf the current forensic center. The facility will house the latest in crime lab technology, and will have more space to teach forensic science.

Harris County voters approved the bonds to build the new center in 2007.