Police Property and Evidence Specialist

The Position

The Police Property and Evidence Specialist receives, catalogs, stores, releases, and disposes evidence and property held within the Police Department and pertinent to various criminal and other cases.

Work Performed

Typical duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Receive, catalog, store, and maintain evidence and property taken into custody; evaluate and check packaging of property and evidence; perform specialized handling of drugs, firearms, biological, chemical and other critical property and evidence; maintain custody of hazardous materials and notify concerned agencies.
• Maintain chain of evidence for investigation and prosecution including drugs, guns, recovered stolen property, jewelry, and other property for safekeeping.
• Receive, verify, and deposit cash seizures; prepare check requests for the return of funds to rightful owners.
• Release and transport evidence to crime laboratory or to officers for court hearings; testify in court as required as to evidence handling procedures and chain of custody; maintain comprehensive records of each transaction and final disposition of property.
• Maintain files and logs pertaining to property control, review property control reports for property description accuracy.
• Inventory equipment and property on a periodic schedule; research and locate missing items; operate a forklift to move or store evidence and property; maintain evidence control databases and informational software.
• Participate in coordinating periodic auctions; identify items to be auctioned and complete forms to release items; finalize disposition records of property.
• Participate in organizing and conducting legal and safe destructions for the following types of materials, firearms, chemicals, biohazards, and narcotics; dispose and purge records in compliance with regulatory forces.
• Provide property and evidence related information to the public and other agencies in accordance with applicable codes, regulations, laws, and departmental policy.
• Access County, State, Interstate and Federal law enforcement records, automated data and information systems for the purpose of retrieving, updating and purging the database.
• Purge, file, seal and destroy property/evidence in compliance with laws, regulations, court orders and established departmental procedures.
• Respond to off-site locations, which may include responding to crime scenes or other locations outside of the city limits. Process, index, type, maintain and retrieve a high volume of police data, reports and records of criminal investigation, arrests, accidents, complaints and incidents; use CLETS system.
• Verify status of warrants and return recalled warrants to court.
• Cross train on all assignments in the Property and Evidence Unit and provide training to employees assigned to perform Property and Evidence duties as directed.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Recruitment Guidelines:

Education: High School graduation or satisfactory equivalent (GED).

Experience: Two years of experience performing specialized clerical or technical duties in a law enforcement agency. Experience in receiving, cataloging, storing, releasing and disposing of evidence and property in in a law enforcement agency is desirable.

Medical Category: Group 2

Necessary Special Requirements

• Possession of an appropriate, valid class "C" California Motor Vehicle Operator's License.
• Must be able to work weekends, holidays, nights and rotating shifts, and be subject to call back as required/scheduled.
• Must be able to pass an intensive police background investigation.
• Must be able to drive and maneuver the assigned Property Van(s) to transport property and evidence to necessary processing locations.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions: Work is done in a standard office environment or police environment and in the field with exposure to bodily fluids, chemicals, tools, and potentially hazardous conditions. Employees may interact with staff and/or public and private representatives and will provide professional customer and crime related service. Ability to climb stairs and lift items weighing up to 50 pounds.

Career Advancement Opportunities

From: Police Property and Evidence Specialist

To: Police Property Supervisor

Selection Process