Policy Text
Tarpon Springs Police Department
Evidence / Property Storage a nd Release
General Order # 293
Effective Date: July 3 , 2023
Amends: G.O. # 293 2/2017
Chief Jeffrey P. Young
293.01 POLICY
It is the policy of the Tarpon Springs Police Department to ensure that all property is handled in a
manner, which provides for the safety, security and integrity of such property.
293.02 PURPOSE
To ensure that all property/evidence is maintained in a s ecure environment, in its original state,
and available upon warranted demand. All property and evidence coming into the control of the
Tarpon Springs Police Department will be packaged according to this General Order.
293.03 PROCEDURES
293.031 Prope rty/Evidence room: The Property/ Evidence room is supervised by a property custodian who
is responsible for all property/evidence stored by the agency.
293.032 Security: The property evidence vault doors and main entry doors will be kept closed and lock ed
at all times, unless being accessed by a property unit member. All other storage areas will also be
kept locked and area storing evidential items will also be monitored by a security system .
293.033 Entry Authorization: Access to the Property/Evidence room and other secured areas, which
contain evidence or property is limited to: Members assigned to the Property Evidence Unit , or
someone that is authorized and being escorted by a member of the property unit and has signed the Evidence room entry log
293.04 Storage locations: The following locations are designated for the storage of property and
evidence submitted to the Property Evidence room:
293.041 Property/Evidence Room: The property/evidence room is used for the storage of property,
eviden ce, currency, and valuables. Lockers in the “Bag & Tag” room will be used for entering
property into evidence, when not collected by a crime scene technician. The following items will
be locked in high security rooms or vaults within the property evidenc e room:
1. Money
2. Valuables including precious metals, jewelry, and gemstones;
3. Weapons
4. Narcotics
5. Dangerous drugs.
General Order #293
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293.042 Property Refrigerator: Refrigerators used for the long term storage of blood, semen, and similar
perishable evidence requiring refrigeration are secured in a n environmentally safe manner in a
separate, locked area. The evidence/property technician will s tore all required property in a
refrigerator and is available 24 hours a day to respond for after hour storage of required refrigerator items. The property refrigerator shall be monitored at all times by alarm, to ensure that
if a temperature change detrim ental to the evidence occurs , the alarm immediately triggers . If the
alarm does trigger, the alarm company will immediately contact the communications center and notify them of the temperature change. Once the communications center has been notified by the alarm company, communications will immediately notify the property/evidence technician, the
Detective Sergeant and the Administrative Major of the alarm.
293.043 Evidence Lockers: Items gathered by officers will be stored in evidence lockers in the “Bag &
Tag” room.
293.044 Bulk Property Storage: The fenced in area of the Bulk storage area is designated for bulk
property /evidence storage as deemed necessary by the evidence technician. The bulk storage
container can als o be used for non- evidence storage of larger bulker items.
293.045 Explosives including Greek bombs (which are noted as IED’s) will be rendered safe by a Bomb
Technician then placed into the special bomb can until properly disposed. All explosives should
be considered and treated as a hazardous device, regardless of construction. All ammunition that
is to be destroyed should be stored in a properly marked explosive can until properly disposed.
293.05 Duties and Responsibilities:
293.0 51 Property Evidence Unit Members: Property Evidence Unit members are responsible for the
following:
293.052 Proper storage of all property and evidence taken into custody. This may require responding after
normal hours to secure property or evidence that is too large for temporary storage facilities or
requires specialized handling or storage.
293.053 Mainte nance of property evidence records that provide the following information
a. Location of the property
b. Case number
c. Date and time when the property was received or released
d. Property description
e. Owner/defendant’s name, address, date of birth, if known
f. Submitting Officers name and I.D. number
g. Chain of custody from the time the property was stored until destruction or other final
disposition.
293.054 Identification and notification of the custodian/owner of property or evidence before conversion to
agency use or disposal.
293.055 Receipt and release of property and evidence.
293.056 Disposal of property in conformance with statutes, and agency policy All property should be
disposed of within six months of the satisf action of legal requirements . Bi-annual checks will be
General Order #293
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memo will be submitted to the Administrative Major listing items that can be disposed of. When
the Administr ative Major signs the memo and returns it to the property unit then destruction of the
listed property is authorized.
293.06 Officer Responsibilities: The officer submitting property or evidence will complete a written report detailing how the property came into the agency’s possession, and will include the
following information.
293.