Policy Text
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ZEPHYRHILLS POLICE DEPARTMENT
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
Standard Operating Procedure: 16.01
Subject: Evidence and Property
Effective Date: July 5 , 202 3
Scope: All
Rescinds: 532.00
Revised: February 13, 202 5
Reviewed: February 13, 2025
Pages: 15
CONTENTS: This procedure consists of the following numbered sections:
I. Definitions
II. Evidence/Property
III. Property Receipt Form Procedure
IV. Description and Identification of Property
V. Evidence Received from Other Agencies
VI. Perishable Evidence (Blood/Urine)
VII. Narcotics/Dangerous Drugs/Paraphernalia
VIII. Money, Precious Metals, Jewelry, Narcotics, and Weapons
IX. Disposition of Property and Evidence
X. Destruction of Contraband
XI. Public Showing
XII. Inspections, Audits, and Inventories
XIII. Submission of Evidence when Evidence/Property Room is Closed
PURPOSE: This standard operating procedure establishes guidelines for collecting, storing, and
disposing of evidence or property .
POLICY: The Zephyrhills Police Department's policy is to receive, maintain, and return
evidence and seized or recovered property in accordance with Federal and State Statutes and
court decisions.
I. DEFINITIONS
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A. Chain of Custody: The written record referring to the continuity of custody for items
collected as physical evidence , whether at the crime scene or not. Under the law, the
item introduced to the court as evidence during a criminal proceeding must be proven to
be the same item originally collected.
1. The chain of custody begins when an item of evidence is collected and maintained
until the final disposition of the evidence is made.
2. If custody is not properly maintained on an item of evidence, that item may be
inadmissible in court.
3. The individual whose name appears last on the property receipt shall be held
responsible for that item of evidence, including its final disposition.
B. Evidence: Any property or item used during a criminal proceeding to establish a case and
prove or disprove facts before a court of law.
C. Evidence Technician: Appoint ed by the Chief of Police, the e vidence technician shall be
responsible for managing, controlling, and being accountable for all evidence and
property stored in property storage areas. The chief of Police designates a person to
function as an alternate evidence technician in the primary evidence technician's absence .
D. Evidence/Property Vault: All property held by the department shall be maintai ned in
designated secure areas as follows:
1. The E vidence/P roperty Vault is located within the Zephyrhills Police Department,
6118 8th Street, Zephyrhills, Florida 33542, at the east center of the building, and
shall be henceforth referred to as the Evidenc e Vault. Additional storage for property
evidence is located in cells 13, 14, and 15 and includes secured vestibule 14. A
secured bicycle storage shed is located in the gated rear parking lot of the police
department.
2. Access to evide nce areas is controlled by key and padlocks to prevent the alteration,
unauthorized removal, theft, or other compromise s of evidence stored by the agency
and to maintain the chain of custody.
3. The Evidence Vault shall be available to accept it ems of evidence during reg ular
working hours (p rimarily 0800 -1700, Monday through Friday). During the hours that
the Evidence Vault is closed, all evidence, contraband , found property , or property
held for safekeeping shall be placed in the evidence locker ’s locked evidence
packag ing area. Items such as digital audio or digital photograph disks shall be
placed in the mail slot provided on evidence locker 001 if not in conjunction with
other evidence submissions . If needed, the shift supervisor will call the evidence
technician after consultation with an administrat or. Large items or items in need of
drying shall be placed in cells 10, 11, or 13, located in Vestibule 13.
4. The evidence t echnician and designee(s) assigned by the Chief of Police shall be the
only authorized person(s) to access the Evidence Vault, evidence lockers, and
secondary storage.
5. No other person(s) shall have access to the Evidence Vault unles s under the
supervision of the e vidence technician . When members other than the e vidence
technician or his/her alternate are within the Evidence Vault, their presence shall be
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records s ection annually for archiving until the expiration of retention requirements .
Items to be recorded on the L og are as follows:
a. Date
b. Time in/out
c. Person a dmitted
d. Agency
e. Purpose for entry
f. Admitted b y
E. Property: Any item such as money, valuables, and other items of personal ownership
that may have been lost, stolen, or abandoned.
F. Refrigerated Storage: Perishable items of evidence , such as blood and urine , shall be
refrigerated before being examined in a laborator y. Secure and refrigerated storage shall
be available for perishable items within the evidence vault