GGPDE_802_-_Property_and_Evidence_2733686

Policy 802Garden Grove Police Department Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/05/16, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Garden Grove Police DepartmentProperty and Evidence - 1Property and Evidence 802.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE This_policy provides for the proper collection, storage, and security of evidence and other property. Additionally, this policy provides for the protection of the chain of evidence and identifies those persons authorized to remove and/or destroy property. 802.2 DEFINITIONS Property - Includes all items of evidence, items taken for safekeeping and found property. Evidence - Includes items taken or recovered in the course of an investigation that may be used in the prosecution of a case. This includes photographs and latent fingerprints. Safekeeping - Includes the following types of property: •Property obtained by the Department for safekeeping such as a firearm •Personal property of an arrestee not taken as evidence •Property taken for safekeeping under authority of a law (e.g., Welfare and Institutions Code § 5150 (mentally ill persons)) Found property - Includes property found by an employee or citizen that has no apparent evidentiary value and where the owner cannot be readily identified or contacted. 802.3 PROPERTY HANDLING Any_employee who first comes into possession of any property shall retain such property in his/ her possession until it is properly tagged and placed in the designated property locker or storage room along with the evidence label. Care shall be taken to maintain the chain of custody for all evidence. Where ownership can be established as to found property with no apparent evidentiary value, such property may be released to the owner without the need for booking. 802.3.1 PROPERTY BOOKING PROCEDURE All property must be booked prior to the employee going off-duty unless otherwise approved by a supervisor. Employees booking property shall observe the following guidelines: (a)Complete the property form describing each item of property separately, listing all serial numbers, owner's name, finder's name, and other identifying information or markings. (b)Mark each item of evidence with the booking employee's initials and the date booked using the appropriate method so as not to deface or damage the value of the property. (c)Complete an evidence/property tag and attach it to each package or envelope in which the property is stored. Garden Grove Police Department Policy Manual Property and Evidence Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/05/16, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Garden Grove Police DepartmentProperty and Evidence - 2(d)When the property is too large to be placed in a locker, the item may be retained in the annex or in an outside storage unit, labeled OBS01-5. Items should have the attached label(s) to each item to be booked and should be left secured and locked within the storage locker. In the event that there is no more space for the temporary storage, personnel assigned to the Property and Evidence Unit shall be contacted to assist. If this occurs after-hours, the Property Crimes Sergeant will be contacted who shall call in personnel assigned to the Property and Evidence Unit to empty the storage containers and make more space for new items. (e)If items require special handling or identification processing is desired, the officer must note the desire in the CSI supplement. In the case of fingerprinting and/or DNA processing a specialized sticker will be attached to the item. 802.3.2 NARCOTICS AND DANGEROUS DRUGS All_narcotics and dangerous drugs shall be booked separately using a separate property record. Paraphernalia as defined by Health and Safety Code § 11364 shall also be booked separately. The officer seizing the narcotics and dangerous drugs shall place them in the designated locker. 802.3.3 EXPLOSIVES Officers who encounter a suspected explosive device shall promptly notify their immediate supervisor or the Division Lieutenant. The bomb squad will be called to handle explosive-related incidents and will be responsible for the handling, storage, sampling and disposal of all suspected explosives. Explosives will not be retained in the police facility. Only fireworks that are considered stable and safe and road flares or similar signaling devices may be booked into property. All such items shall be stored in proper containers and in an area designated for the storage of flammable materials. The Property and Evidence Community Services Officer is responsible for transporting to the Fire Department, on a regular basis, any fireworks or signaling devices that are not retained as evidence. 802.3.4 EXCEPTIONAL HANDLING Certain property items require a separate process. The following items shall be processed in the described manner: (a)Bodily fluids such as blood or semen stains shall be air dried prior to booking. (b)License plates found not to be stolen or connected with a known crime, should be released directly to the Property and Evidence Community Services Officer, or placed in the designated container for return to the Department of Motor Vehicles. No formal property booking process is required. (c)All bicycles and bicycle frames require a property record. Property tags will be securely attached to each bicycle or bicycle frame. The property may be released directly to the Property and Evidence Community Services Officer, or placed in the bicycle storage area until a Property and Evidence Community Services Officer can log the property. Garden Grove Police Department Policy Manual Property and Evidence Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/05/16, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Garden Grove Police DepartmentProperty and Evidence - 3(d)All cash totaling $500 or more shall require a count/total verification by a sergeant. In the event a sergeant is not available in a reasonable amount of