There are very few problems arising in Property Rooms that have not been addressed by other professionals in other Property Rooms. Here's the chance to take advantage of the collective expertise of about 3,000 property and evidence professionals. If your problem is here, it could save you time and energy in producing a solution. If it isn't here, then let us hear from you! 

Dialogue between Tara Lyn Dinndorf, Waite Park (MN) Police Department, and IAPE Executive Director Joe Latta:

Dinndorf: Our department is in the process of creating a policy for evidence procedures. We are having some questions come up in reference to chain of custody, specifically when officers should start documenting the chain of custody. For example, if an officer at the scene of the crime lifts fingerprints and then gives them to another agency to send to the BCA, shouldn't that be noted on the evidence sheet to keep track of the chain of custody?

I read in my evidence manual from training that the chain of custody begins the minute evidence is taken. I've been told here that as long as it is written in the officers narrative, nothing needs to be documented on the evidence sheet. 

Latta: As with many issues, Tara, the answer can be yes and no, depending on your perspective. You are absolutely correct that the chain of evidence extends from the moment the evidence is seized by an officer or other employee, and must be continuous up until the moment that the item is identified under oath by that employee and admitted as an exhibit of the court. 

On the other hand, the Property Room is not responsible for the chain until the point in time when the item is turned over to the Property Room, whether in person, or by placing it in a secure property locker. If the seizing employee cannot account for the security of the item from contamination up until the time itis turned over to the Property Room, however, then the entire admissibility issue rests with the judicial determination of the employee's testimony that it is in the same state in which it was seized.

You have identified a critical shortcoming of law enforcement fingerprint evidence, in spite of the fact that such evidence is among the most influential and reliable. As a matter of fact, many departments don't even provide evidential safeguards for their fingerprint cards. They are turned over to an Identification Bureau, or the Record Bureau, or in some cases directly to the Detectives, and kept unfiled in a desk, or in an unlocked file drawer or unsecure cardboard box. They never cross the door of a Property Room.

In almost none of those agencies could the validity of the print card be established through chain of custody, and thus the validity would have to rest on court testimony.

My opinion is that the most foolproof methods of maintaining evidential integrity for fingerprint evidence, would be for the person creating the print card to either book it directly into the Property Room, or develop a parallel system in which it would be identified, tracked and secured sufficiently well to create a chain of custody.

 Dialogue between Evidence Technician Sissy Taylor, Franklin (TN) Police Department, and IAPE Executive Director Joe Latta: 

Taylor: I have 2 different cases in which cash is a biohazard. One case has over $12,000, and the other is $800. In the $800 case, we have confirmed that the deceased man had Hepatitis. Do you have a standard or suggestions on how to clean the money before it goes back to the family. We certainly do not want to put money back into circulation that is a know biohazard. Thank you for your help.

Latta: Sissy, I suggest you check with your bank, and or get a phone number from them for the Federal Reserve. I'm sure that they have some protocol for this. If you have any luck let me know.

Taylor: After many hours on hold with the Federal Reserve, I finally found what to do. There are 2 choices. 

If your local bank will accept the money, they can send it to the area Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve will then reissue money to them. It is entirely up to the local bank to make a decision on accepting the money.

Call the Federal Reserve in Washington D.C. at 202-874-2361. You can get information about sending the money to them directly. They will send a check back to the departments. They accept biohazards and mutilated money.

In our case we are sending the money directly to Washington. Since some of the money is known to have fluid from a person with Hepatitis C, the bank would not accept it. Hope this helps some others.

Latta: I'm sure it will, Sissy. Thanks for sharing! 

Dialogue between IAPE member Crime Lab Director Rick Workman, Henderson (NV) Police Department, and IAPE Executive Director Joe Latta: 

Workman: Buenos Dias, Joe, from the Headquarters, La Direccion de Seguridad Publica, Chihuahua, Chih., Mexico. 

Over the past few days, we have held training sessions in the Chihuahua Police Department and discussed procedures to collect, package, store and manage evidence. These procedures are directly related to many of the requirements for CALEA Accreditation and are recommended by the International Association for Property and Evidence. I have toured the facilities, met with supervisors and other Police Officers, and worked extensively with the CALEA team. I am proud to say that this Police Department is staffed with highly dedicated and professional men and women.

I had the pleasure of talking with the Presedente Municipal and of having a detailed meeting with the Director of the Police Department. Both leaders are looking forward to providing the necessary support to complete the accreditation process, and to the improvements that will occur as a result.

This is a very long and difficult process. A lot of work has already been completed, but there is much more work ahead. Additional materials and equipment are required to make the necessary changes. I believe that after successful completion of the requirements for CALEA Accreditation, the Chihuahua Police Department will become on of the top Departments in Latin America. Gracias! 

Latta: Rick, you certainly seem to have your work cut out for you. We are pleased that the IAPE Standards are useful in your work with Chihuahua PD. I admire your courage, and can only offer, you one piece of advice as you look at the almost overwhelming tasks ahead: The only way to eat an elephant successfully, is one bite at a time. Best wishes!

Dialogue between Officer Tina Jonas, Olathe (KS) Police Department, and IAPE Executive Director Joe Latta: 

Jonas: I work as a property clerk in the evidence room for the Olathe, KS PD. We are being asked to implement a new policy whereby all drugs are weighed as they are checked out of our office and then again as they are checked back in. We would like to follow a model in use and proven effective by another agency; however, we cannot find any other agency, regionally or nationally, who routinely weighs drugs as the drugs go out from and come back to the evidence room. Would your organization have a sample model for such a procedure, or know of any police or sheriff's agency who uses an active policy for weighing drugs as they are checked in and out of the evidence room? Olathe has about 120,000 population, and about 175 sworn police. Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you. 

Tina Jonas, 913-971-6313. or 
cjonas@olatheks.org.

Latta: Tina, 1'm not personally aware of anyone who is doing that. I'll put a big HELP out to readers of The Evidence Log to see who, if anybody else, is doing that. I'll forward anything I receive, and please let me know if there is a response directly to you.