Policy Text
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
1
9.2 Collection and Preservation of Evidence
9.2.1 Procedures for Processing Evidence at the Scene (Revised: 5/29/25 )
A. To reduce the possibility of damage, loss or movement of evidence, the first officer at the
scene of a crime shall secure the scene from all nonessential personnel, including officers
not collecting evidence. The officer securing the scene will document the name and
reason for and time of visit of all persons who enter the crime scene. Personnel at the
scene shal l not disturb, touch or handle physical evidence unless a danger exists that the
evidence will be lost or destroyed prior to processing by the officer given that
responsibility. Should such a situation arise, it becomes the responsibility of th e officer
preserving the scene to ensure the evidence is preserved by being packaged , mark ed and
sealed as outlined in General Order 9.2.2 , “Evidence Processing and Submitting
Procedures .”
Physical evidence, collected in the field by an officer or Evidence and Reco rds
Technician and subsequently transferred to another officer, detecti ve, San Francisco
Police Department ( SFPD ) crime scene technician or other authorized personnel will be
properly documented in the official record in order to maintain an unimpeachable record
of the chain of evidence.
B. A SFPD Crime Scene Investigator will be requested, per the Memorandum of
Understanding with SFPD, to evaluate, photograph and process the scene for physical
evidence on the following incidents:
1. Homicide
2. Suicide
3. Rape
4. Arson
5. Robbery
6. Major assaults
7. Serious injury or fatal traffic crashes
8. Kidnapped/abducted children
This list does not preclude requesting a Crime Scene Investigator on other offenses not
listed when evidence requires processing.
C. The Crime Scene Investigator acts only in support of the investigating officer and, as
such, may act as an advisor but only at the reques t of the investigating officer.
D. Crime Scene Investigator responding to a crime scen e and/or Evidence and Records
Technicians or additional officers assigned to process the scene shall be responsible for
photographing, collecting, preserving, documentin g, transporting and submitting all
evidence to the UCSF Evidence Room.
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
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E. All evidence submitted to the Evidence Room shall be accompanied by a completed
UCSF Police Department Property Label. In addition, the following forms must be
completed and attache d to the evidence contingent upon investigation, comparison and/or
analysis required by the SFPD Crime Laboratory when the evidence is submitted to the
Evidence Room:
a. SFPD Analyzed Evidence form
b. SFPD Crime Scene Investigations Latent Fingerprint Requ est form
c. Any additional required SFPD Crime Laboratory forms .
F. SFPD crime scene investigators shall be called to assist in the collection of evidence in
instances where such collection is of a complex nature or due to the seriousness of the
crime. The FSD Commander shall authorize all such requests for assistance.