| In my 25 plus years in law enforcement, I
have seen many different ways of storing hand guns for evidence purposes.
Because of their various sizes and shapes, it is difficult to find one
system that works well for all.
Our primary consideration is to protect the evidentiary
value of the weapon. This means protecting it from incidental damage
during storage, and storing it where it can be found when needed for court.
It obviously includes such things as avoiding storing it in plastic, which
promotes rusting, and we should probably do all this as space-efficiently
as possible.
At the Burbank Police Department's Property Section, we
have solved this storage problem by using standardized commercial gun boxes
that are manufactured specifically for the storage of handguns, long -
guns, and knives. They are of rugged cardboard construction, sized
to fit most firearms, store easily on shelves, and are inexpensive.
As you can see in the photo, we built shelves that just fit the boxes to
avoid wasted space, and the temptation to stack other property on the boxes.
This creates an easily accessed storage system that is very easily managed.
The boxes protect the weapon, and they also have room for magazines, holsters,
etc.
We attach 3 X 5 cards that have the Evidence Tag Number
and the Item Bar Codes to the boxes. The cards themselves are color
coded by year. That assists in making the audit and inventory procedures
run smoothly, and the boxes are reusable, making them even more economical.
In addition, the boxes are great for transporting weapons to and from court
and the crime lab, both in protecting the weapon and keeping it out of
public's direct view. The box is also supplied with small holes on
the back side, which makes it possible for a crime scene investigator to
secure the weapon to the box using small wire ties.
When designing the shelves for the handgun boxes, remember
that you must select the container (box) first, and then design the shelve
around the box. Make sure there is room to grab the top of the box,
but no wasted space above boxes or on the sides. Never stack the
boxes, stand them on end only one high. If you stack them, you make
retrieval more labor intensive. Arrange them so that any box can
be removed without disturbing another one.
The boxes shown are manufactured by Evi-P
of Tuscon Arizona. For more information on their products or to receive
a catalog contact Dick Rogers, at (800) 377-0450.
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