Proper booking of evidence doesn't happen by chance. It happens when written directives, carefully enforced, become the agency standard. An evidence booking policy provides specific directives to patrol and property personnel. The directives outline who is responsible for booking the evidence, and how the evidence should be booked. The standard of care required when evidence is booked, any information required to be included on the evidence envelope/tag, and any packaging restrictions are also outlined in the booking policy. 

Evidence booking procedures should include a list of appropriate locations for the submission of evidence. Some agencies have more than one location. The location is selected by the type of evidence that is stored at the given location. Occasionally, multiple locations lead to confusion on what to deposit where. Include a list designating specific locations and the type of evidence accepted by that location. This can reduce property staff time needed to move items to the correct location.

RESPONSIBILITY
The employee who recovers evidence or finds property shall be responsible for transporting and booking, except when the responsibility for doing so is assumed by, or assigned to another employee. If the property is found by a private person, the employee who takes custody of the property shall be responsible for the transporting and booking of the property. All property or evidence which is not to be immediately released and which is not essential to an' immediate investigation shall be placed by the booking officer(s) in an intake locker at the main property office or, at the direction of the shift commander, another appropriate storage location prior to the completion of the booking officer's shift. At no time shall any employee or investigator retain personal possession of any property or evidence taken into custody, and at no time shall any evidence or other such property be stored inside or on top of any employee's personal locker, nor shall such property be left unattended. 

Booking Officer Defined 

For the purpose of this instruction, the term "booking officer" shall mean the employee who prepares the property for submission to the Property Control Section for storage, lab transmittal, etc. 

BOOKING OF EVIDENCE OR PROPERTY 

All property coming into the custody of the Police Department which must be stored or retained shall be handled as follows: 

1. All items shall be packaged in the smallest acceptable container. 

2. Acceptable containers for submission of evidence shall be 6"x9" or 9"x 12" envelopes, evidence bags, cardboard box(es). 

3. Prior to being packaged, all items shall be prepared for packaging in accordance with the collection and preservation of evidence section of this instruction. 

4. Each item shall be tagged with a Police "Property Tag" or placed in a preprinted envelope or bag provided by the Police Department. 

5. The booking officer shall provide complete and accurate information on all spaces of the evidence envelope/tag including: 

Complete name(s), case report number, offense/violations, investigating officer's name and badge number, and proper signatures on the chain of custody.

6. It shall be the responsibility of the booking officer to enter all serialized property into the automated computer system prior to storage. Attach a copy of the printout to the property card (where appropriate attach NCIC printout, local state firearms/property systems printouts, etc.) 

7. The booking officer shall provide a complete description of all items contained within the packing, including the type, quantity, serial number, or other identifying information for each item. 

8. All packaged evidence must be submitted with a property card. Attach the card to the evidence package with a paper clip. Do not use staples to attach card (staples can cause cuts in fingers leading to unsafe working conditions for property personnel.) 

9. Submit to appropriate location: 
6"x9" envelopes - drop slot. 
9"x 12" envelopes - drop slot or small locker. 
License plate - drop slot or small locker.
Multiple evidence cases - smallest locker that will house all of the evidence (if possible, do not separate.) 
Bicycles - bicycle racks. 
Tires - Property annex (at Service Center)
Bloody (wet) clothing - may be dried in locker #33 and then packaged. Review and use biohazards directives for handling and packaging clothing. Contact the Property Officer or a field identification technician for assistance. 
Sexual assault kits - store in small temporary storage evidence refrigerator in patrol annex storage room or leave with the onduty Property Officer. Do not leave biosensitive (blood, semen, etc) evidence in a storage locker. When storing in temporary evidence refrigerator, be certain to lock the unit.