Policy Text
Field Services Page 1 of 2 05/13 (REV 1/04)
Evidence - Chain of Possession
The purpose of this order is to outline the pr ocedure required for evidence chain of
possession when removed from t he property warehouse on a tempor ary basis.
I. Sign Out Procedure
A. An officer obtaining any evi dence from the Property Warehous e shall sign
a receipt for the property.
B. Property Warehouse personnel sha ll issue the officer a copy of the
Property Receipt/Report along with the evidence.
II. Court Use
At the time the officer confer s with the Deputy District Attorn ey, a determination
shall be made as to the property's potential use as evidence in court.
A. If the property will be used, the officer shall have the Dep uty District
Attorney sign for it in Chain of Possession section of the Prop erty
Receipt/Report. The officer sha ll retain the report for return to the
Property Warehouse.
B. If the property will not be used , the officer shall return i t along with the
Property Receipt/Report to the Property Warehouse. The officer shall
indicate what further action s hould be taken with the property:
1. Retain for further court proceedings
2. Return to the proper owner
3. Destroy
Field Services Page 2 of 2 05/13 (REV 1/04) III. Returning Property To The Property Warehouse
A. Officers may return the property by any of the following mea ns:
1. Place the property along with the Property Receipt/Report in any
Department property locker.
2. Return the property along wit h the Property Receipt/Report t o the
Property Warehouse in person.
B. If the property is not being re turned, the Property Receipt/ Report still
needs to be returned to the Property Warehouse for tracking. T his can be
done by:
1. Placing the Property Receip t/Report in any department proper ty
locker.
2. Returning the Property Recei pt/Report directly to the Proper ty
Warehouse.
IV. Vehicles
A. Vehicles may be taken dire ctly to the Property Warehouse for cases
requiring Crime Lab work. Officers shall escort the towed vehi cle and may
need to coordinate with a Crime Scene Investigation Officer to gain entry
into the Crime Lab yard.
B. When the Crime Lab work is comp leted, the officer shall use an
Identification Lab Disposition fo rm, indicating to whom the veh icle may be
released. The person who takes possession of the vehicle must have a
valid driver’s license and sign t he form before it can be relea sed.