INTRODUCTION - New Jersey

1 TABLE OF iPROPERTY RECORDS ..1 Centralized Filing Reports ..2 Records Retention ..4 PROPERTY STORAGE and Type of Property ..5 Security ..5 Temporary OFFICER .. OF PROPERTY ..7 Return to Owner or Finder ..7 Forfeiture ..8 Destruction of Property ..9 PROPERTY CONTROL POLICY AND AND PACKAGING PROPERTY AND A .. A-1 Model Property & Evidence PolicyiINTRODUCTIONThe property and evidence function is an integral and essential part of every lawenforcement agency. Every day, police officers come into custody of lost or stolen property,contraband, and any manner of evidence.

2 The law enforcement agency is charged withestablishing a system for the secure and efficient classification, inventory, retrieval, anddisposition of these items. To accomplish this goal, the law enforcement agency mustspecifically:-Establish a system of documentation to track property from its receipt to itseventual a secure and orderly storage facility to meet the needs of the a property officer to be responsible for the department's property andevidence for periodic and special audits of the contents of the property storagefacility to insure continuing for the proper and timely disposition of property and policy, training and adequate supplies for the consistent marking andpackaging of property.

3 -Establish a written uniform policy and procedure to be followed by police officersin all aspects of property chapter will discuss each of the above and provide direction with relevantreferences. For clarity sake, the term "property" shall be used to refer to both evidence per se andall other property taken into police custody, unless otherwise RECORDSThe maintenance of an orderly, accurate and contemporary record system is essential tothe overall property function. The property record system should include a centralized filingsystem and a system of property reports and receipts to record the details of each propertytransaction.

4 These records serve several purposes: -Inventory of items in custody; -Inventory of items that have been disposed of and released from custody ordestroyed; -Chronological record of the chain of custody of each item. In addition, the records of a property transaction may in fact become evidence themselvesto verify or dispute some fact about that item of maintenance of the property records should be assigned to the designated propertyofficer to insure that the type and manner of entries are consistent. Centralized Filing System. Each law enforcement agency must have a centralized filingsystem which contains information on all property which is taken into police custody.

5 Thissingle source filing system provides consistency and uniformity to the overall property recordssystem. Any inquiry about property should begin at the centralized filing system, wheresufficient references will identify the appropriate detailed are several important principals to be followed in maintaining a centralized filingsystem. These principals apply whether the centralized record in a bound log book or acomputerized data , the data must be permanent. It must be maintained for a considerable period, andthe individual records may have data added, but not deleted.

6 This permanence is available inboth a log book and in an electronic data , the centralized filing system must be secure against damage, destruction or theft. Here, the electronic system provides more simplicity through data backup with off-site storage. A log book would require either secure containment, such as a fireproof safe, or frequentphotocopying with off-site , the centralized filing system must be accessible for all authorized personnel. Access for entering data should be limited to the designated property officer. However, otherofficers must often track or locate property in the absence of the property officer, and thereforemust be able to review the centralized record.

7 This is easier with a log book, since a2computerized system requires the officer to have a working knowledge of the centralized file should contain the following information for all property in identification number unique to the property. of each item of the property, including particular identifiers such asmake and model and unique identifiers such as serial number and owner of person(s) to whom property is related (defendant, owner, finder). that each item came into police of officer who took custody of property (name, initials, badge oremployee number).

8 Where each item is that each item was entered into of officer who entered property into of each time that item was removed from storage or police of officer who removed item from storage or police custody each time itwas the item was removed ( trial or lab) for each time it was of final disposition of each of disposition (returned to owner, destroyed, turned over to anotheragency, etc.). of officer responsible for authorizing final of officer responsible for carrying out final disposition. Property Reports. In addition to the centralized filing system, the law enforcementagency must have reports to collect the detailed information for all property on a case specificbasis.

9 Most agencies currently use some form of a property/vehicle report based on the LEIRS3system. Each agency should carefully review its form to determine if improvements can reports should include, at a minimum, the following report property is received, confiscated, turned into headquarters, of the loss or theft of whether the property is stolen, lost, found, seized as evidence,recovered or held for , address, and phone number of the person who found the property or was inpossession of the property. 's name, address and phone number (if the owner of the property is differentfrom the person listed above).

10 Where property was recovered, found or number and full description of each item, , model, serial number and owner applied (estimate if necessary). (estimate if necessary). make, model, year, body type, color, registration number andstate, and vehicle identification number (VIN). of person completing the report. of custody record. The following entries should be made each timeproperty is transferred from one person to the property is being transferred from one person to another. printed name and signature of the person relinquishing custody of theproperty.