Community Resources - Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks
Community Resources

Tips and Tricks This section is currently featuring "Do's and Don'ts" of evidence management. These will make your evidence unit run more smoothly.

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The Do's

Empty lockers routinely every morning. This avoids backlog and shows an accurate chain of custody.
Don't hold stuff out. Put all items away with a known location as soon as possible.
Maintain an unalterable chain of custody. Use an automated evidence management system that will provide an unalterable and complete chain of custody.
Maintain an up-to-date procedure manual for your property room.Keep an updated procedure manual for your evidence unit. If you implement an automated system, make sure you update the manual with the new procedures that relate to using the system.
Schedule destructions ahead of time. Make a concrete appointment to do destructions. Otherwise, "I'll get to it when I have time" will never happen.
Store felony, misdemeanor, and property of special destruction (such as liquor) separately. By doing this, the entire storage bin can be reviewed and potentially eliminated at once.
Store found property together in one location rather than integrating it throughout your evidence room. It will be cycled out quickly, and you can find it easily when owners come to pick it up.

Continued...

Network with other evidence personnel in your area that may be experiencing similar problems, that may have already found a solution.
Make sure your evidence room is safe. Have adequate lighting.
Have a positive attitude about your job. Do not forget that your work has great value, even if no one else notices.

The Don'ts

Don't use the STUFFIT Method. Don't just stuff your evidence into an available space. Have an organized, strategic method for storing your evidence.
Do not store evidence on the floor.
Do not store things at a high level where you have to carry it up and down ladders.
Don't store food products in your property room. Get the authority to photograph and destroy it.
Don't repackage everything that is not properly packaged. Get support from your superiors to return the item to the submitting officer for corrections. If you correct the officers' mistakes, they will continue to make them. Schedule a training session to address packaging procedures.
Do not document that evidence has been destroyed until it has actually been destroyed. Have a location called "pending destruction" then transfer it to "destroyed" after the physical destruction.
Don't cut corners. Have Integrity even when no one is looking. Keep the trust that you have been trusted with
Never purge records from your automated system. Transfer the records to the status of destroyed, returned to owner, entered in error, etc. but never delete the records from your system. Auditors will want to see sequential identifying numbers with no gaps.