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Date: 02/01/00 Revision: 07/14/23 Reviewed: 01/30/25 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE CHAD CHRONISTER , SHERIFF STANDARD OPERATING PROCED URE Number: DSS 471.00 Page: 1 of 4 SUBJECT: EVIDENCE CONTROL SECTION: EVIDENCE ROOM PROCEDURES I. PURPOSE : The purpose of this standard operating procedure is to establish guidelines for the duties and responsibilities of the Evidence Control Section. II. SCOPE : This procedure shall apply to a ll personnel of the Evidence Control Section. III. PROCEDURE : A. Evidence Control Section Security - Security will be maintained to ensure the integrity of all evidence/property that is stored. 1. The Evidence Room shall be maintained and operated on a 24-hour basis. Unless special arrangements are made a nd authorized by the Evidence Manager or an Evidence Supervisor, property will be returned to citizens only between the hours of 0800 and 1700 hours , Monday - Friday, excluding holidays. 2. The Evidenc e Manager , Evidence Supervisor, and Evidence Technicia ns assigned to the Evidence Control Section will be the on ly authorized personnel to have unescorted access to the Evidence Control Section. This includes the Evide nce Ware house and Vehicle Impound Lot . 3. Individuals admitted to the Evidence Room on offi cial business must sign in and will be escorted by the Evidence Manager , Evidence Supervisor, or an Evidence Technician at all times . Trustees are not authorized to enter the Evidence Room or Evidence Warehouse; however, they may enter the Vehicle Impound Lot under escort to perform maintenance. 4. Inspections o f the evidence area by other supervisory personnel shall be conducted in the presence of the Evidence Manag er, Evid ence Supervisor, or an Eviden ce Technician ; and inspection personnel must sign in a nd out. 5. The Evidence Control Section shall be monitored at all times by a camera system . 6. Law enforcement personnel from other agencies entering the Evidence Control Section shall have their credent ials examined prior to receiving any tour of the facility. B. State Attorney’s Office and Defense Showing: 1. On occasion, showings of evidence with the State Attorney’s Office and defense attorney will be conducted in the E vidence Control Section viewin g room. 2. The detective /deputy will contact the Evide nce Control Section to schedule a viewing at least one day prior. 3. Parties involved will be briefed by the Evidence Technician that the case detective must be present , and packages of evidence will be signed for by this detective /deputy . 4. After check ing out the property to investigation in RMS (Records Mana gement System) , the packages will be opened in an orderly manner and resealed by the detective/deputy to en sure tha t the evidence does not get mispackaged or contaminated. DSS 471.00 07/14/23 Page 2 of 4 5. During this showing, t he Evidence Technician will not offer any personal comments about the evidence and will only answer questions as directed by the representative for the State Attorney’s Office. 6. Upon completion of the showing, all evidence will be resealed by the deputy or detective , and initials, ABN, and date placed on all seals. C. Public Showings: 1. On occasion showings will be to a person or persons to identify the property. 2. The detective or deputy must be p resent for these showings and will contact the Eviden ce Control Section to schedule a showing. 3. The same care must be taken in public showings as in the State Attorney’s Office showing so that property does not get mis packaged and valuables are safeguar ded. D. Auditing of Files and Inspections : 1. The Evidence Manager or Evidence Supervisor will maintain a schedule to ensure that all evidence items signed out are verified periodically to check on the status of thes e items to maintain the control of e vidence and chain of custody. a. Items that have been checked out and not returned within an acceptable time limit will have a notification email sent to the detective/deputy and their supervisor. b. A spreadsheet wit h all property checked out for inve stigation will be kept on the agency computer g : drive. It will be updated weekly by a designated Evidence Technician. The spreadsheet will state the detective /deputy ’s name and ABN, case number, property number, item descript ion, date checked out, and a requested suspense date for action on the status. c. If after the suspense date, the designated Evidence Technician has not received either the evidence or communication, they will send a second, third, etc., as necessa ry, email and interoffice memorandu m to the detective/deputy’s District/Division Com mande r until the status of the evidence has been resolved. d. Upon return of the evidence , the evidence will be updated in the evidence electronic records . 2. The Eviden ce Manag er and Evidence Supervisors will conduct random and periodic audits on a rand om nu mber of Property Receipts and evidence packages to ensure proper procedures are being used. * 3. Monthly , the Evidence Manager , or designee , will conduct an inspection to determine adheren ce to procedures for the