Policy Text
CATEGORY DATE ADOPTED LAST REVIEW
1 01/24/2011 11/01/20 19
TUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS
______________________
804 - Property Procedures 1 POLICY 804 PROPERTY 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.
804.1.1 ACCREDITATION STANDARDS
This section pertains to the following CALEA Standards: 55.2.4 , 83.3.2 , 84.1.1 , 84.1.2, 84.1.3 ,
84.1.4 , 84.1.5 , 84.1.6 , 84.1.7
This policy pertains to the following Stand ard Operating Procedures: SS700, SS701, SS702,
SS703
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 , but not limited to , photographs, latent fingerprints ,
DNA .
Safekeeping - Includes the following types of property:
a) Property obtained by the Department for safekeeping such as a firearm ;
b) Personal property of an arrestee not taken as evidence ;
c) Property taken for safekeeping under authority of a law (e.g., Welfare and Institutions
Code § 5150 (mentally ill persons)) .
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.
804.2.1 PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE SPECIALIST
The Property & Evidence Specialist is responsible for the day -to-day functions of the Property
Unit. This includes, but is not limited to, booking and maintaining all property, the disposition of
property and the recording of any change in location or movement of property in the custody of
the unit. Additionally, Property & Evidence personnel are responsible for ordering department
suppli es and uniforms and equipment for all employees.
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 booking locker
(outside of Property and Evidence Unit and available 24 hours a day); or other approved storage
CATEGORY DATE ADOPTED LAST REVIEW
1 01/24/2011 11/01/20 19
TUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS
______________________
804 - Property Procedures 2 area along with the property form. Care shall be taken to maintain the chain of custody for all
evidence. Ownership of all property/evidence should be established by the handling officer
whenever possible to ensure the proper return of said items upon the disposition of the case.
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 acknow ledging receipt of the item(s).
804.3.1 PROPERTY BOOKING PROCEDURE
All property must b e 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 ;
b) Mark the packaging of 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 to Property. The white copy shall be
forwarded to Records for inclusion with the original report and for data entry. The pink
copy shall serve as the receipt (required by Penal Code 1412) and shall be given to the
owner of the property;
f) When the property is too large to be placed in a locker, the item may be retained in the
outside cage. Submit the completed property form to Property.
In the event an officer cannot complete the entire booking process prior to end of shift, or under
other exceptional circumstances, a supervisor may ap prove the use of a temporary evidence
booking locker to secure the evidence until it can be processed and booked. Locker #20 of the
Property and Evidence Unit booking lockers is designed to allow officers to place the evidence
inside and to be secured with a key by the officer. The officer will retain the key to ensure chain of
custody until he/she can return to complete the evidence booking process.
Items of excess size or quantity will be secured in a holding cell within the Temporary Holding
facility and the cell sealed with evidence tape initialed by the officer and approving supervisor
until processed. The officer will instruct the Communications Center to monitor the holding cell via
recorded CCTV for additional security measures. No weapons shall b e stored within the
Temporary Holding Facility.
804.3.2 NARCOTICS AND DANGEROUS DRUGS
All narcotics, dangerous drugs and paraphernalia