CASH  (PAPER CURRENCY)

 

The Sheriff’s Office has established procedures for handling cash to prevent loss and limit liability exposure.    Each step of these procedures provides a layer of protection for the user as an individual, as well as to coworkers and the agency.

 

Evidence Officer procedure Disposal

 

IMPOUNDING OFFICER PROCEDURES

  1. Sort all bills by denomination.

  2. Arrange each stack so the bills are all face up in the same direction. 

  3. Counting the money in the presence of a fellow employee is required.   If a second person is not available to observe the count, notify a supervisor immediately for instruction.  

  4. Place the funds into a currency envelope. 

  5. Seal the packaging with evidence tape. 

  6. Date and initial over the seal.

  7. The impounding officer and the count verifier must initial the currency envelope on the designated line.

  8. If requesting forfeiture, mark an ‘F’ in the ‘Item Code’.  Contact the WIN forfeiture clerk immediately.  Paperwork must be completed within 24 hours in order to preserve civil forfeiture rights.

  9. Complete the property-evidence report.

  10. Place the item into an evidence locker.  Note the location on the property-evidence report.  If a large amount of money is seized, check with your supervisor on the appropriateness of calling out an evidence officer to access the safe.

  11. Place the yellow and green property-evidence report in the property-evidence basket in the Evidence Processing Room.


COUNTERFEIT BILLS

  1. Counterfeit bills are handled the same as cash with the only difference being the Impounding Officer must mark the evidence  receipt and money envelope as containing possible counterfeit bills.  Please list serial numbers on the evidence receipt and money envelope when submitting possible counterfeit bills.  It is up to the Impounding Officer to contact the Secret Service for case follow-up.
     

EVIDENCE OFFICER PROCEDURES

STORAGE

  1. Ensure proper packaging and that money has been verified by a second counter.  Refer to the example board in the evidence processing areas.

  2. Place one barcode on the envelope and the corresponding barcode on the property receipt.

  3. All monies will be stored in the safe, unless the evidence officer determines the size is so large that it must be stored in the secure room.

  4. All money amounting to less than $25 will be stored in the small denominations section of the secure room.

  5. Using the barcode reader, scan the location of the shelf, and then scan the barcode affixed to the item.

  6. Place item in numerical order by case number.

 

DISPOSAL

Upon authorization or disposition of the case:

  1. Once currency is identified as appropriate for disposal, an effort is made to identify the owner.  

  2. If the owner is identified, send the 30-day notice of time to claim the property letter.  If the currency totals more than $100, send the letter by certified mail.  If the owner cannot be identified or contacted, skip to step 4 below.

  3. If the owner who was notified by letter does not retrieve the money within the time period provided, skip to step 4 below.

  4. Unclaimed money may be deposited into the money into the County’s General  Fund.   Scan the barcode on the currency envelope into the location called the “GF box”. 

  5. On the back of the property receipt, note that the money has been placed in the GF box (small safe) pending the next quarterly bank deposit. 

  6. Place the sealed envelope in the GF box. 

  7. At least quarterly or more often with the approval of the Investigations Division Commander, evidence officers will count all funds that are in the GF box awaiting deposit to the General Fund account.  Funds will be counted with at least two persons present, one person being outside of the Investigations Division as appointed by the Professional Standards Unit.

  8. If there is no discrepancy, then the evidence officer should deliver the currency to the Business Administration Section.  Before leaving the evidence officer should personally observe an additional count of the funds by the person preparing the bank deposit.

  9. If there is a discrepancy between the currency amount on the envelope and the re-count, go to the Dealing With Discrepancies In Counting Currency section below.

 

DEALING WITH DISCREPANCIES IN COUNTING CURRENCY

Any time there is a discrepancy in currency counts, the evidence officer shall immediately notify the evidence room supervisor for further instruction.

 

Revised 1/08/04