Evidence management poses the greatest routine stress of law enforcement related activities. Missing evidence can stir the foundation of any agency along with potential career loss resulting from criminal or substandard management.
Computerizing evidence storage complements the paper trail that only adds work to an already heavily tasked property technician.
Bar code technology was adopted to allow for fast and accurate entry of articles. With scanning devices and commands attached to identify and document the direct flow of evidence, personnel had greater flexibility in setting up programs enabling query capabilities by name, case number, location, status, and descriptors to mention a few. Bar code systems greatly aid in the inventory function by increasing the speed of operations, saving budget funds and lowering liability.
A well planned records system is an essential element in order to operate an effective property control system.
Seven objectives top the list of priorities and goals to keep in mind when designing or modifying a property system.
Major deficiencies in many evidence systems are the lack of written procedures, lack of comprehensive inventory report forms, and inadequate quality control.
Computerized evidence and property control systems can generate accurate and timely management of data. Computers can track statistical data in various methods to provide justification for personnel and equipment needs during budget preparation.
There are few programs on the market that are designed to really fit the needs of law enforcement or evidence manager’s needs. Most agencies are faced with just getting by with what is out there or attempting to modify their current system to meet their standards of operation. Property personnel have been led to believe that bar coding is computerization when in essence it is an additional tool that may be considered after or in conjunction with computerization.
The initial information that is required to be entered into the system manually has created many hours being spent at the keyboard. Some agencies are spending countless hours of time duplicating these efforts. Access any and all alternatives available to aid in this time saving effort. Research alternative methods that may allow booking officers the ability to type report information into a portable computer with downloading capabilities or look into the possibility of scanning reports into the system to save time.
Most evidence rooms may not be faced with difficulty in handling the daily intake. Their main concerns may lie with case dispositions and obtaining information from courts or detectives in a timely fashion. The majority of property that is stored never gets checked out for court, analysis, investigative review, etc. but we are required to hold onto these items until a final disposition has been reached. We are scrambling to look for better ways to approach this problem and computers may be the link that can tie us all together from a State level.
The main conclusion is to build a solid foundation of formal procedures, adequate training, continuing supervisory control, and efficient property control record system. Whether you are operating in a manual paper tracking system or a computerized tracking system this foundation is the key element to properly run and manage the property evidence function.
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