Electronic Systems

Electronic technology has changed security devices in the security of property rooms across the country. Common solutions depend either on the use of personal identification numbers (PIN), photo-identification, magnetic cards or proximity cards. The reliability of these types of security methods concentrates on a singular identification mode and depends heavily on the card carrier's sensibility. These methods can easily be breached. More advanced methods utilize biometric identification. Traditionally, in order to deploy the use of the biometric identification methods, businesses also had to build some type of access point or biometric door reader. Some of the technology that is being utilized to security property room is listed below: 

• Proximity Card Readers 

• Bar Code Readers 

• Magnetic Stripe Card Readers 

• Fingerprint Scanning Devices 

• Handprint Recognition Devices 

• Facial Recognition Devices 

• Retinal Readers 

Alarms Systems

An alarm system must be an integral part of the design of any property room. Over half of the evidence rooms across the country do not provide this level of security. Law enforcement has always worked in an environment of trust within the organization. However, property rooms are housing billions of dollars worth of guns, money and narcotics that must be better secured. 

Some departments are much more vulnerable than others based upon location and size of department alone. There are over 7,000 general law enforcement agencies across the country with fewer than a dozen officers. This translates to about 50% of police and sheriff's departments where the facility is not occupied with officers twenty-four hours a day. That may suggest that many of our departments could be the targets of either an external or internal theft during nonstaffed hours. This alone is sufficient cause for the facility to be alarmed. 

Intrusion Alarms

An intrusion alarm can be activated through a variety of methods such as breaking door/window contacts, motion sensors, sound sensors, etc. Dependent upon budget, the alarms can be a ringer alarm only, silent alarms or both. Any silent alarm needs to be monitored in a twenty-four hour location such as communications center, Watch Commanders Office or other such location. The contracting of the alarm monitoring to a third party alarm company will add an additional level of internal control as the alarm is tracked by parities out of the facility reducing the likelihood of employees conspiring to enter the room. 

The written policy needs to insure that the system is tested at least once a month to validate the system. The testing needs to be formally documented. This is one advantage of a third party involved in the process. 

Duress Alarms

Dependent upon the layout of the property release area the issue of a duress "help-button" needs to be evaluated. If the public is brought into the confines of the facility and non-sworn officers are dealing with the transactions it is the obligation of management to insure the safety of the employees. If all transactions take place at a monitored front counter this may not be necessary. The department's clientele and community culture will also have a bearing on this decision. 

Alarm Responses

Anytime any alarm is activated the source of the problem needs to be immediately identified and responded to. If the alarms are activated during non-business hours it may require property room personnel to respond to investigate the possible reasons for the alarm. 

Video Surveillance

An additional security enhancement to any property room is that of video surveillance where video cameras monitor all or part of the operation. Cameras and recorders can operate twenty-four hours a day or only when there is some type of movement. Systems can be activated with motion sensors, contacts on the doors, a card access system, etc. More advanced digital technology allows the images to be stored on a computer hard drive. 

With any system that is considered, management must adopt a retention schedule for keeping the collected data. Any installed system needs to be maintained in a secure environment to safely store the data. 

After Hours Entry 

Entry into the Property Room during non business hours must be prohibited unless Property Room personnel are called out to open the room. Leaving hidden keys or giving the person in charge the key only invites problems. If a non Property Room employee enters the room for whatever reason, he or she now becomes a part of the equation if something is later missing. Note - the best policy is the call out of Property Room personnel! If an agency feels that entry must be accomplished in an emergency without the Property Officer the following is suggested, but discouraged. 

Secure a back-up key in some type of envelope that is taped securely with evidence tape and initialed by the Commanding Officer of the Property Room. Instructions need to be printed on the envelope with guidelines in the handling of the key after the seal has been broken. One of the best methods is for the opened envelope to be returned to the Commanding Officer with a written explanation of the entry and to reseal the envelope. The entry should always be documented.

Access Logs

The best philosophy for any Property Room is to allow only authorized Property Room personnel into the facility. By controlling the access to only this group of personnel any problems with the inventory can be narrowed down to a select group of individuals. This also protects employees from unauthorized visitors removing some type of evidence. The most successful method to control access is a good security system and an access log. Management must mandate that any entry other than the assigned personnel be formally documented on the access log. See the following suggested headings for an Access Log, which should be kept in a bound, rather than loose-leaf, notebook. The access log should be for all ranks including the top-ranking officer. 
 

The Property Room access log should be an integral part of the security system in the property room. All employees need to comply with this type of control, regardless of rank. This type of log discourages unofficial entry into the room and provides a tool for investigators if a theft ever occurs. The log needs to be routinely forwarded to management for review and auditing. 

Sound property room policies and procedures should ideally prohibit all entries into the property room by non-property room personnel. In the event the department doesn't wish to restrict employee access that tightly, the above form should be mandatory. Property room personnel shouldn't be responsible for items in the property room when others in the organization have access to it. This type of process limits access and holds everyone accountable.