Property Management Function, Evidence, Recovered Property

Evidence/Property Room

I. INCOMING EVIDENCE

All incoming evidence/property will be placed in the property holding room, unless special arrangements are made (large quantities). Any employee entering any of the property/holding rooms will utilize their State issued identification card to gain entry. If the electronic lock is not functioning, the employee will sign in and out on the log provided in each room. There is no exception to this procedure.

  1. Any property placed in the holding room will have a copy of the property record attached. No property/evidence is to be left without identification (confiscation form, property held form, etc.).
  2. Property will be recounted prior to being placed in any of the main property rooms. All property sheets must have two (2) signatures verifying the correct total of evidence/property being submitted to the property room.
  3. All property/evidence must be “tagged” at the time the property is placed in the property holding room (color of tagging paper will change each fiscal year). Each box must be identified with the following: defendant’s name, case number, date, and agent’s name.
  4. It is mandatory that the property record be submitted within two (2) business days after the confiscation.
  5. Personal property that is confiscated will be inventoried and marked with the case number for identification. In addition, the property tag will read “PERSONAL PROPERTY” and will be stored with the confiscated property/evidence.
  6. The property manager will move incoming property and/or evidence from the property holding room to a permanent storage room as soon as possible after receiving the property or evidence. The designated office administrator will conduct weekly inspections of the property holding room to verify compliance.
  7. The property manager will forward all information about changes to incoming property or evidence records to update the computerized inventory database within five (5) business days of receiving the property or evidence. Any discrepancies will be witnessed by the designated office administrator.

II. REQUESTING EVIDENCE

  1. Personnel needing evidence must submit a completed case/evidence removal request to the property manager in a timely manner. Removal requests may be made daily between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
  2. The case/evidence removal request form must be filled out completely. Please ensure that the section indicating the amount of property that is needed is complete. The requesting employee will not always be present at the time the property is retrieved.

III. PROPERTY HELD FORMS

  1. Property held forms must be submitted to the property room within two (2) business days of confiscation. All property listed will be as follows:
    1. ALCOHOL – List by number of CONTAINERS
      • Will be described, i.e., open/sealed.
      • Alcoholic beverages will also contain in the description what type of beverage it is (i.e., beer, wine, or distilled spirit).
    2. CIGARETTES – List by number of PACKS
    3. PERSONAL PROPERTY – List brief description of ITEM.
    4. OTP (other tobacco products) – List by ITEM (number of cigars, cans, etc.).
    5. Other-List description of each ITEM, to include make, model, and serial numbers of any electronic equipment.
  2. Distribution of the copies of the property held form:
    1. White - Property Room
    2. Yellow - Confiscation File
    3. Pink - Confiscation File
    4. Gold - Case File

IV. INVENTORY OF PROPERTY/AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL DUTIES

  1. Specifically designated personnel will have complete access to all property rooms. Only these designees will be allowed into all property rooms alone. Bureau supervisors and managers will have complete access to the property holding room.
  2. Any employee entering any of the property/holding rooms must sign in and out on the log provided if not utilizing their State issued identification card for access. There is no exception to this procedure.
  3. The designated administrator and a second employee of the Comptroller’s Office (who is not responsible for the bureau’s property management function) will conduct a physical inventory of property annually. The inventory may be conducted as a percentage quarterly, semi-annually, or annually if all the property is inventoried. Additionally, the designated administrator will inspect the logs for property removed for court/hearings and property room access logs monthly.
  4. The property manager will notify the designated administrator in writing if any property/evidence is signed out for a period of longer than two consecutive weeks.
  5. The permanent record must reflect all property leaving the property room. This includes any property/evidence that is returned to the owner, destroyed, or sold (as required by law).
  6. When any property is disposed of, the record will include the case number of the property.

V. CANCELLATION

None.