Policy Text
DEPARTMENTAL
GENERAL
ORDER
H-10
Index as:
Property Clearance and Disposal
Effective Date:
12 Dec 11
Evaluation Coordinator:
Police Property Supervisor
Evaluation Date:
12 Jun 12
Automatic Revision Cycle:
3 Years
i
TAB
LE OF CONTENT
I. PROPERTY INCLUDED IN THIS ORDER ..................................................... 1
A. Evidence .................................................................................................... 1
B. Found/Lost/Abandoned Property................................................................ 1
C. Safekeeping ............................................................................................... 1
D. Private Person Request ............................................................................... 2
II. PROPERTY EXCLUDED FROM THIS ORDER ............................................ 2
III. INVESTIGATOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES ....................................................... 2
IV. PROPERTY & EVIDENCE UNIT RESPONSIBILITIES ................................ 3
A. Evidence .................................................................................................... 3
B. Property Held for Safekeeping ................................................................... 4
C. Found Property .......................................................................................... 4
D. Contraband ................................................................................................ 5
E. Money/Currency and Negotiable Instruments............................................. 5
F. Biological Evidence ................................................................................... 5
G. Unclaimed Property ................................................................................... 5
H. Timeliness ................................................................................................. 6
I. Administrative Kill” Criteria ...................................................................... 6
V. DIVERSION OF UNCLAIMED PROPERTY ................................................... 7
DEPARTMENTAL
GENERAL
ORDER
H-10
Index as:
Property Clearance and Disposal
Effective Date:
12 Dec 11
Evaluation Coordinator:
Police Property Supervisor
Evaluation Date:
12 Jun 12
Automatic Revision Cycle:
3 Years
Page 1 of 9
P
ROPERTY CLEARANCE AND DISPOSAL
The purpose of this order is to set forth Departmental policy and procedures for the release
and disposal of physical evidence, currency, and other property that comes into the custody
of the Department during an investigation or at the request of a private person.
I. PROPERTY INCLUDED IN THIS ORDER
The Property and Evidence Unit shall retain custody of evidence or property until one of the following dispositions occurs:
A. Evidence
1. Adjudicated;
2. Presented to the DA and not charged;
3. Statute of limitations has been reached;
4. It is determined that no crime has been committed; or
5. Cases not presented to the DA and filed.
Evidence may be disposed of sooner than the statute of limitations in
accordance with the provisions of “Administrative Kill” protocols in Part
IV, I of this order.
B. Found/Lost/Abandoned Property - Items classified on the Property Record
as found property (e.g., items which have been lost or abandoned and are
not connected with any known or suspected offense).
C. Safekeeping - Items identified on the Property Record as having been taken into custody for safekeeping (e.g., property that is connected with a known
DEPARTMENTAL GENERAL ORDER
OAKLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT H-10 Effective Date:
12 Dec 11
Page 2 of 9 or suspected offense but will not be used as evidence).
D. Items submitted for destruction at the request of a private person.
II. PROPERTY EXCLUDED FROM THIS ORDER
A. The disposition of evidence and/or property for the following items shall be
excluded from the provisions of this order:
1. All evidence and/or property related to a homicide shall be retained
until released by court order, District Attorney or Major Crimes Unit
investigator.
2. Firearms and other weapons (See DGO H-4 and H-9); and
3. Any evidence or property not in the custody of the PEU (e.g.,
narcotics and drugs, worthless documents and latent print lift cards,
vehicles, and bicycles).
4. Evidence subject to court jurisdiction shall only be released or
disposed of pursuant to a Court Order to include the following:
a. Property obtained by search warrant (Part III, B);
b. Property allegedly stolen or embezzled and the defendant
claims to own it (Penal Code Section 1413); or
c. Property brought for presentation in court and subsequently
released to the custody of the court.
III. INVESTIGATOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES
A. When property is obtained pursuant to a search warrant, the assigned
investigator shall prepare and submit a Request and Order for Release of
Property to the court to release the evidence back to the Department.
DEPARTMENTAL GENERAL ORDER
OAKLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT H-10 Effective Date:
12 Dec 11
Page 3 of 9 B. The investigator shall prepare and forward a Property Release (TF-1008)
AND a Property Release Notice postcard (TF-787) to the PEU with
instructions regarding when the property may be released or disposed.
Form Instructions When to forward forms to PEU
• Check Release upon adjudication
• Check Destroy upon adjudication After the case is presented to the DA and charged
For future disposition
• Enter Future Process Date • Upon determining not to present to the DA for
charging; or
• After the case is presented to the DA and
charged; or
• When the statute of limitations has been reached;
or
• Future date when statute of limitations expires.
For immediate disposition
• Check Auction
• Check Destroy
• No evidentiary value
• Contraband
• No known owner or finder
• Abandoned
• Check Release to owner or other • Known owner or finder
• Check Forward to City Treasurer
• Currency with no known owner or finder
• Abandoned
• Negotiable instruments
C. The investigator shall be responsible for notifying the PEU of any change of
instructions regarding the disposition of the property.
D. The investigator shall retain a copy of the Property Release form, and the
Request and Order for Release of Property