804_-_Property_and_Evidence

Policy 804Mountain View Police Department Mountain View PD Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/16, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Mountain View Police DepartmentProperty and Evidence - 1Property and Evidence 804.1 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 those persons authorized to remove and/or destroy property. Other specific details are contained in the Mountain View Police Department Property and Evidence manual. 804.2 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, or bicycle at an accident scene •Personal property of an arrestee not taken as evidence •Property taken for safekeeping under authority of a law, i.e. Welfare & Institutions Code § 5150 (mentally ill persons), such as weapons pursuant to Welfare & Institutions Code § 8102 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. 804.3 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 property form. 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. The property form must be completed to document the release of property not booked and the owner shall sign the form acknowledging receipt of the items. 804.3.1 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. Mountain View Police Department Mountain View PD Policy Manual Property and Evidence Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/16, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Mountain View Police DepartmentProperty and Evidence - 2(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. (d)Place the case number in the upper right hand corner of the bag. (e)The original property form shall be submitted with the case report. A copy shall be placed with the property in the temporary property locker or with the property if property is stored somewhere other than a property locker. (f)When the property is too large to be placed in a locker, the item may be retained in the supply room. Submit the completed property record into a numbered locker indicating the location of the property. 804.3.2 NARCOTICS AND DANGEROUS DRUGS The officer seizing the narcotics and dangerous drugs shall place them in the storage locker accompanied by the blue copy of the Property Report. The remaining copy will be detached and submitted with the case report. 804.3.3 EXPLOSIVES Officers who encounter a suspected explosive device shall promptly notify their immediate supervisor or the Watch Commander. 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 Evidence Technician is responsible for transporting to the Fire Department, on a regular basis, any fireworks or signaling devices that are not retained as evidence. 804.3.4 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. Items should be opened up and hung in a drying locker. Evidence room personnel will be responsible for re-packaging (b)License plates found not to be stolen or connected with a known crime, should be released directly to the Property and Evidence Specialist , or placed in the designated container for return to the Department of Motor Vehicles. No formal property booking process is required. Complete a Plate(s) Report (CHP-180) Mountain View Police Department Mountain View PD Policy Manual Property and Evidence Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/16, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Mountain View Police DepartmentProperty and Evidence - 3(c)All bicycles and bicycle frames require a Property Report. Property tags will be securely attached to each bicycle or bicycle frame. The property should be placed in the bicycle storage area until a Property and Evidence Specialist can log the property (d)All cash shall be counted in the presence of a second officer and the envelope initialed by the booking officer and the second officer. The Field Supervisor shall