What are the responsibilities and job description for the Police Property and Evidence Specialist position at City of Santa Cruz?
Salary : $54,120.00 - $76,152.00 Annually
Location : City of Santa Cruz, CA
Job Type : Regular Full-Time
Job Number : 25-PD-10
Department : Police
Opening Date : 02 / 27 / 2025
Closing Date : 3 / 13 / 2025 5 : 00 PM Pacific
The Position
The current vacancy for Police Property and Evidence Specialist is in the Police Department The eligibility list established from this recruitment may be used to fill other Police Property and Evidence Specialist vacancies during the life of the list. The eligibility list established from this recruitment is valid for up to one year from the date established unless the list is extended or abolished by the Human Resources Director.
Under general supervision, to receive, load, transport, verify, store, record, safeguard, release and dispose of evidence and other property booked into Police Department and maintain related property records.
The Police Property and Evidence Specialist is a non-peace officer classification that handles a broad range of confidential and sensitive records, maintains the integrity and security of criminal evidence, including the handling of hazardous and bio-hazardous substances in a variety of containers and packaging.
Ideal Candidates : The Santa Cruz Police Department is seeking highly organized, meticulous, and trustworthy candidates for the position of Property and Evidence Specialist. The ideal candidate would possess a strong sense of integrity as they will be responsible for maintaining the chain of custody and handling sensitive materials. The role requires physical capability to safely lift and manage evidence along with ability to work independently while adhering to established protocols. A thorough understanding of legal procedures rules of evidence and law enforcement standards although not required is a desired qualification. If you are someone who thrives in a precise, meticulous responsible environment and it is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards we encourage you to apply.
Recruitment # 25-PD-10
CANDIDATE APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS :
The following process may be changed as deemed necessary by the Human Resources Director. The information contained within this announcement may be modified or revoked without notice and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.
- On Thursday 03 / 13 / 25 : recruitment will close. Online application materials must be received by the Human Resources Department by 5 : 00 pm. To apply, submit :
Application - online application only. Resumes are not accepted in lieu of filling out the application form completely. Click the Apply button to begin the online application process.
PRE-EMPLOYMENT POLICY REGARDING ILLEGAL USE OR POSSESSION OF DRUGS
The following types of drug use or possession will be considered towards the disqualification of candidates in the pre-employment selection process for all police department applicants :
A) Any adult use or possession of a drug classified as a hallucinogenic within seven (7) years prior to application for employment. (LSD, PCP, XTC, And other designer drugs)
B) Chronic or habitual abuse of marijuana or derivative.
C) Any other illegal adult use or possession of a drug listed below in the designated time frame prior to application for employment.
Cocaine 7 Years
Amphetamines 7 Years
Meth amphetamines 7 Years
Heroin 7 Years
D) Any illegal adult use or possession of a drug while employed in the capacity of a police officer, licensed security officer, military police, or as a student enrolled in college accredited courses of / or related to the criminal justice field.
E) As an adult, any illegal manufacturing or cultivating of a drug.
F) Failure to divulge to the Police Department during the background investigation any information about personal use or possession of drugs.
The disqualification of a police department candidate for the following types of illegal drug use or possession will be considered in relationship to the overall background of that individual : Any illegal adult use or possession of a drug that does not meet the criteria of the considered disqualifiers specified above; e.g., illegal usage of prescribed or non-prescribed medication or any illegal substance used by the means of injection (Steroids will be considered on a case by case basis only if the above timeline restrictions outlined in section one above has been met).
Typical Duties
May include, but are not limited to, those duties listed below.)
WORKING CONDITIONS
Position requires prolonged sitting, standing, walking, reaching and reaching above and at shoulder length, twisting, turning, kneeling, bending, squatting, walking on uneven surfaces and stooping and climbing a ladder and stairs in the performance of daily activities. The position also requires grasping, repetitive hand movement and fine coordination in using a computer keyboard. Additionally, the position requires far and near vision when reading and using a computer and the ability to distinguish colors. Acute hearing is required when providing phone and personal service. The need to lift, drag and push and pull files, boxes and property weighing up to 50 pounds is also required. Position requires the ability to drive motorized vehicles.
Exposure to variable temperatures, confined workspaces and heights; strong unpleasant odors, infectious bio-hazardous materials such as blood, urine and semen; dust, pollens, chemical irritants; toxic substances; individuals who may be hostile and abusive; evidence that may be disturbing such as homicide evidence.
Minimum Qualifications
The minimum qualifications for Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are the following :
Education and Experience :
Knowledge :
Abilities :
Licenses and Certificates
Possession and continued maintenance of a valid California Class C driver's license.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Career Ladder
SALARY - This classification belongs to the Service bargaining unit and has a nine-step salary range. All classifications in this bargaining unit add an additional wage Step J on 7 / 14 / 18 by MOU agreement. Appointment may be made commensurate with experience. The current salary schedule is posted on the City website. See for salary practices.
UNION REPRESENTATION - This classification belongs to the Service Employees' bargaining unit. All employees within this unit are represented by the Service Employees' International Union.
APPOINTMENT - Any candidate selected by the appointing department may be required to pass a pre-employment medical exam administered by a City-selected physician before hire to non-sedentary positions. Prior to starting work, all newly hired employees will be fingerprinted, to check conviction history. A conviction history will not necessarily disqualify an applicant from appointment Candidates must present documentation verifying authorization to work in the United States and take a loyalty oath as required by the State of California at the time of hire. Appointments to regular positions are subject to a six-month probationary period (unless specified as 12-month by Service Employees MOU) which is considered a part of the selection process. Probationary employees may be terminated without recourse during this period. Positions which are covered by the Department of Transportation regulations are required to submit to a pre-employment drug test and to random drug and alcohol testing.
LEAVE
Vacation - 80 hours / year up to 5 years, 120 hours / year 6-10 years, plus 8 hours for each year after 10 years up to a maximum of 160 hours / year.
Sick - 12 days / year
Holidays - up to 11 days / year
Floating Holidays - 24 hours per year - prorated for part-time
INSURANCE - (available to employee and eligible dependents)
Medical - Depends on plan selected; City generally pays 95% of the cost of coverage (pro-rated for part-time).
Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program - City currently pays full cost of employee and family coverage (pro-rated for part-time). Plus an additional $29.50 per pay period.
Life - City provides a $20,000 life insurance policy.
Long Term Disability - City provides a long term disability plan.
RETIREMENT
All new regular employees become members of PERS. Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) 2% @ 62 (3 year average). Prior PERS membership may affect retirement formula. Employees contribute 9.75% of their salary to PERS on a pre-tax basis. An employee is vested after 5 years of membership. No Social Security is withheld.
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS (not all inclusive)
457 Deferred Compensation Plan
Accident Protection Insurance
Bilingual Pay if required by position
Cancer and Critical Illness Insurance
Direct Deposit
Discount Bus Pass Program
Flexible Spending Plans for Health & Dependent Care
Longevity Pay (after 10 years and 15 years)
In lieu Medical Reimbursement of $200 / month (if not participating in City offered Medical Plan)
Shift Differential
Supplemental Life Insurance
Tuition Reimbursement
The information included in this listing is subject to change and does not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Leaves and most Insurance contributions are pro-rated for part-time benefited employees.
Qualified candidates interested in competing for the current vacancy in the Police Department will be required to fill out a Non-Sworn Personal History Statement (NS-PHS). The information you provide in this NS-PHS will be used in the investigation into your background to assist in determining your competence for the position for which you've applied. A background investigation will be conducted on candidates who successfully pass the oral examination interview. The investigation may include a polygraph examination, credit history, driving record, criminal activity, military and employment records, and character references.
Do you possess a high school diploma or tested equivalent?
This position requires possession and continued maintenance of a valid California driver's license.
This position requires a willingness to perform on-call duty assignments and call-back work as required. I accept this requirement. (Note, a "No" answer will disqualify your application from this recruitment) :
Thoroughly describe your experience that has included substantial filing and recordkeeping responsibilities, providing the names of the employers, your duties, and some examples of the specific record-keeping systems you used.
Describe your knowledge and experience with computer equipment and applications, indicating the types of equipment and programs you worked with and names of employers where you gained this experience.
Desirable Qualifications : The items listed below are desirable qualifications and not required to qualify for this position; however, experience in these areas may make you more competitive in the recruitment process. Please select any areas that you have experience in or knowledge of.
Please briefly describe your experience and / or knowledge with the selections you chose in the Desirable Qualifications on question 8. If no boxes were checked, please write "N / A."
Please read the description of the "Ideal Candidate" in the job posting and briefly describe your understanding of the position and how you may be an ideal candidate for this position. Please do not utilize AI or other computer-generated responses as we would truly like to hear from you in your own words.
Required Question
Salary : $54,120 - $76,152
