The Property and Evidence Unit receives, stores, and disposes of all
property and evidence that is submitted by department members. Members of the
Unit are responsible for maintaining the chain of custody and disposing of
evidence and property based on statutory limitations or court order. Members of
the Unit notify property owners when items are released and ready to be claimed.
Property and Evidence Unit members track the status of vehicles towed by the
department. Certified letters are sent to vehicle owners and lien holders when
their vehicles are towed and when they can be claimed.
Property and Evidence
Unit members are also responsible for stocking, issuing, and tracking uniforms
and equipment issued to department members.
The Property and Evidence Unit
recently moved into a renovated building at the department. It is a
state-of-the-art facility designed to streamline the operation and functions of
the unit, allowing members to work in a more efficient manner.
Terms and definitions:
Physical
evidence - any substance or material found or recovered that is related to a
criminal investigation.
Evidence custodian - the agency member
accountable for the control and maintenance of all evidence and property
accepted by or stored in the Department's evidence rooms.
Chain of
custody - the tracking of the custody of physical evidence, from the time of
the original collection to its final disposal.
| Frequently asked Questions |
How do I arrange for
the return of my property?
If your property was collected and has not been submitted as evidence, you may call our office to set up an appointment to obtain your
property. A valid picture identification, such as a driver's license or ID
card, that shows a current address and your date of birth, will need to be
presented at the time you retrieve your property. If your property has been submitted as evidence, it can only be released
with permission from the detective or state attorney handling the
case. Once the authorization for release has been obtained, you may call our
unit and set up an appointment. You will need a picture ID, as indicated above, to
retrieve your property.
If you are unable to claim your property yourself, you may authorize a family member/friend
to pick it up for you. They MUST present
an official notarized letter from you, giving them permission to do so.
They must present a valid picture identification, such as a driver's license or ID card, that
shows a current address and date of birth when they come to claim your property.
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