Gordon Graham
Category: Law Enforcement
Gordon Graham here with Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Today I’d like to talk to my friends in law enforcement about audits and inspections at your evidence facilities.
Now, we all know the importance of proper evidence handling. The last thing we ever want is to jeopardize one of our cases because of lost or misplaced evidence. Audits and inspections play a crucial role in ensuring that evidence management complies with your agency’s policies and procedures. They may also be required by accreditation standards.
Proper evidence handling and management avoids preventable mistakes that can make the difference between a conviction or a dismissal.
Audits should cover inventory verification, appropriate packaging and storage, proper evidence submission, and evidence destruction, when required.
Regular inspections provide another layer of protection. A thorough inspection can identify storage constraints, certify proper records management, and confirm whether officers are following established submission criteria.
And folks, don’t overlook evidence disposal procedures. Proper inventory management also requires appropriate disposal once cases are adjudicated. Your space may be limited as new cases keep coming in, so it’s important to regularly seek destruction orders, when necessary.
One quick side note on cold case evidence. It’s impossible to overstate the importance of correctly maintaining this material. We’re seeing cold cases solved – in many cases, after decades of investigative work – thanks to new advances in DNA testing and other technology. Since we have no idea what the next new development will be, it’s critical to preserve this evidence to get justice for these victims.
You’ve heard me say, predictable is preventable. Proper evidence handling and management avoids preventable mistakes that can make the difference between a conviction or a dismissal. Conduct necessary audits and inspections to ensure accountability and instill trust in our efforts.
And that’s Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Until next time, Gordon Graham signing off.
