Directive 12.15 Property Taken into Custody

Question 1

Evidence taken for court presentation

Answer 1

Must be returned to designated storage location daily by 6pm. unless the property is retained by the courts

Question 2

What to do with wet biological evidence

Answer 2

temporarily stored in plastic must be transferred immediately to be stored in OFS to be dried.

Question 3

Where is money transported to?

Answer 3

currency is deposited into divisional money safes

Question 4

FCCs and and projectiles

Answer 4

go in divisional dropsafe. Firearms and live ammo are taken to FIO/EIU by confiscating officer.

Question 5

to obtain evidence for court presentation?

Answer 5

officer will exchange the arresting officers copy for the agency copy at ECU

Question 6

who handles the distribution of property recpts?

Answer 6

ECU - evidence custodian unit - in order to get more property receipts the CO of district has to write memo requesting such, ORS maintains in operations room.
ORS enters into PRFE - (mainframe property file)

Question 7

where do money, jewelry and other nondesignated location items go

Answer 7

ECU

evidence custodian unit

Question 8

vehicles requiring search warrants, forensic testing, guard for prints

Answer 8

Automative Services

Macalester Street - (vehicles will be stored inside of garage for guard for prints)

Question 9

with regard to vehicles waiting for processing:

Answer 9

the CO of detective division will ensure that all vehicles are processed within 48 hours no exceptions due to degradation of evidence

Question 10

Who gets evidence requiring forensic analysis ( drugs, firearms etc)

Answer 10

OFS - Office of Forensic Analysis ( within Evidence Intake Unit, EIU) gets anything that requires forensic analysis.
anything requiring latent fingerprint analysis goes here.

Question 11

best material when submitting clothing evidence

Answer 11

Paper bags. Trace samples or swabs also go in PAPER envelopes

Question 12

NOTE on plastic bags ( and why wet biological evidence temporarily stored in plastic must be transferred to OFS immediately to be dried and stored)

Answer 12

Plastic bags are preferred for most drug items; however, it is not appropriate for all types of evidence. Things to remember with plastic is static electricity can make those fine powder items difficult to remove and moisture will be trapped sometimes causing deleterious change to occur if the submitted evidence was not dry (e.g., wet biological material will become moldy within a plastic bag).

Question 13

Where to FCCs go

Answer 13

placed in a ballistic evidence envelope and the appropriate information completed on the envelope documenting the property receipt number, district control number, and the number of ballistic evidence submitted (ex: 5 FCC’s, 1 projectile)

Question 14

fcc control log book

Answer 14

in every detective division similiar to the narcotics control log. fcc control log book is completed whenever fccs and projectiles are placed into divisional drop safe ( which goes to ECU at end of tour)

Question 15

how to store clothing or fabric evidence (collect )

Answer 15

Package each article separately in paper packaging. Plastic may be used if item would soak through the paper packaging. In this case, place the item in the paper package and then into the plastic container.

Question 16

sexual assault collection kits

Answer 16

must be accompanied by “sexual assault history form” and “Stranger rapes” must be classified by the appropriate UCR code.

Question 17

SAK - sexual assault kits ( collection kits)

Answer 17

must be done in healthcare facility and transported to SVU within 72 hours of collection. The SAK and a legible copy of the medical examination report shall be
submitted within fifteen (15) days, to the PPD Office of Forensic Science (OFS), and the Evidence Intake Unit (EIU) for analysis within OFS/Criminalistics Unit. The medical examination report shall be affixed to the SAK.

Question 18

how will SAK evidence be coded?

Answer 18

75-48 will be coded as “3145” examination of “ Investigation, Protection, Medical
Examination of Injuries.”
**The health care facility will be identified as the Complainant , unique tracking number assigned to the kits by the health care provider will be inserted into the body of the 75-48.

Question 19

if collecting a DNA reference sample

Answer 19

must have “consent to search form- DNA sample” form filled out

Question 20

Compressed gas cylinders into police custody

Answer 20

transported to the OFS by the City’s contracted vendor, Clean Ventures, Inc. Officers confiscating any compressed gas cylinders will contact Radio. Radio will contact Clean Venture, who will send a trained technician to inspect &safely transport the cylinders.
a. When an arrest is made and analysis is required, such as in the case of suspected Nitrous Oxide, the arresting officer(s) will follow the truck from Clean Venture to the OFS to ensure the chain of custody is maintained.

Question 21

all firearms submissions must be accompanied by :

Answer 21

“Gun Tracking Form”
must have been entered into the Firearms Analysis System (FAS) prior to submission (Directive 5.27, “Firearms” Appendix “A”)
*****FIREARMS DISCHARGED by P/Os do not have to be entered into FAS.

Question 22

latent print collection

Answer 22

As with all items, the exact location of the collection must be clearly documented on the property receipt. Latent print lifts recovered from the same location may be packaged together in an appropriate envelope or other suitable container, provided that each lift is clearly identifiable as to the location of recovery.
*** prints taken from one house will go on the same property receipt with same DC, then the latent fingerprint cards will show WHERE from location multiple prints were lifted from

Question 23

syringes

Answer 23

Accepted ONLY from assault or homicide cases where it is the suspected instrument of crime. Items must be submitted inside an appropriate syringe evidence container or other acceptable sharps container. Prior approval from the OFS management is required for submission. all others will be in biohazard container
**NOT accepted as routine narcotics evidence ( see directive)

Question 24

how is tool mark evidence collected

Answer 24

individually wrapped in paper, then in sturdy cardboard box or padded paper .
property receipts will be described “Tool Mark/Castings

Question 25

trace and impression evidence

Answer 25

will be collected in “PAPER FOLD” made. from clean unlined paper or filter paper, folded and placed inside an appropriate sized envelope or container and sealed.

Question 26

who is in charge of making sure property taken into custody is transferred to storage?

Answer 26

CO will make sure immediately processed and transferred to appropriate storage facility.

Question 27

Jewelry (earrings, necklaces, pins, watches, costume jewelry, etc.,) taken into custody must be photographed at Records and Identification Unit prior to submission.

Answer 27

All photographs will be submitted along with the jewelry. If the confiscation and photographing occurs Monday-Friday, between the hours of 7:00 AM – 5:30 PM, the jewelry will be taken to the Evidence Custodian Unit at City Hall. After hours, the jewelry will be taken to the Homicide Unit, Room 104, to be temporarily stored in the Evidence Drop Box.

Question 28

where are SAK ( sexual assault kits) evidence held?

Answer 28

in climate controlled rooms of ECU ( evidence custodian unit) If a victim consents to testing, then the Special Victim’s Unit shall request that the evidence be transferred to the Office of Forensic Science (OFS).

Question 29

who has access to evidence rooms

Answer 29

supervisors serving as ORS. the “list” will be kept by
divisional/unit storage site, the Evidence Custodian Unit, and the Office of Strategic Planning The list will be updated immediately when there are personnel changes and the new list forwarded to the appropriate units.
**TWO KEYS, ORS HAS ONE, CO/CAPTAIN has the other key to evidence rooms

Question 30

Note for blood stained knives

Answer 30

: In order to not compromise any latent prints or genetic material
possibly needed for future forensic testing, duct tape will NOT BE placed directly on the blade of a blood-stained knife.

Question 31

Who gets the Money receipt log from ECU

Answer 31

THE ORS gets a copy of the money receipt log from ECU

Question 32

what happens to counterfeit currency?

Answer 32

ECU personnel make sure it gets transported to secret service

Question 33

what happens when there is a miscount on currency?

Answer 33

ECU supervisor will verify, copy, correct, and initial with badge number the miscounted total on the original Property Receipt and modify Property Receipt File (PRFE). A copy of the corrected Property Receipt, along with a memo will be forwarded to the submitting officer’s Commanding Officer to request an investigation regarding the discrepancy.

Question 34

when is liquor disposed of?

Answer 34

april and september of each year

Question 35

If someone is physically incapable of safekeeping their own firearm due to medical reason?

Answer 35

due to a physical or medical reason the person obtains a notarized document designating the “designee” for safekeeping of their firearm. valid ID required during this transaction

Question 36

Stolen gun from buyback?

Answer 36

Detective division Captain/CO will designate a detective to run the serial numbers on guns from gun buyback. Any firearm in stolen status will be placed on separate property receipt (All firearms submissions must be accompanied by Gun Tracking Form & entered into the Firearms Analysis System (FAS) prior to submission (Directive 5.27, “Firearms” Appendix “A”).