Evidence and Property Unit by Sergeant Ron Ternes Evidence and Property Units have evolved to playa very significant role within police agencies across Canada and the United States. Custodial property operations can impact cases before the courts. The image of an entire police agency may be determined by the credibility of custodial property operations. Three years ago the Calgary Police Service took action to ensure the Evidence and Property Unit incorporated proper policies and procedures to guarantee the integrity of its property management. This action enhanced the ability of the Calgary Police Service to manage risk, increase efficiency, and decrease liability. The innovations employed have enabled the Service's Evidence and Property Unit to react proactively to potential issues that relate to the seizure and management of exhibits and seized property.
TRAINING Your people are your greatest resource. The Calgary Police Service employs 17 civilian Property Custodians (special constables), and 4 sworn members. All new civilian employees of the Unit undergo a comprehensive six month training program along with their probation period. During the training the new member is assigned a training officer and issued an Evidence and Property Unit training manual. Their progress and training during this time is documented by a designated training officer and is retained with the member's personnel record. Training continues past the initial hiring of an employee. Sworn and civilian personnel are encouraged to continue their learning through a wide variety of internal courses offered through the City of Calgary. External courses are also encouraged and offered by various post secondary institutions. Personnel are reimbursed for successfully completing these courses .. SAFETY Safety is a paramount concern for the Calgary Police Service and the Evidence and Property Unit. The Evidence and Property Unit established a Health & Safety Committee comprised of members within the Unit. Monthly committee meetings address pertinent issues that arise. It is compulsory for Unit members to update their safety training annually, which is documented in personnel files. This involves courses such as:
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES In order to conduct business in a consistent manner each day, manage the associated risks, and remain efficient it is important to have a standard to comply with. Two years ago the Evidence and Property Unit began the development of written Standard Operating Procedures that reflect an established standard. These are critical as they are used in training, and the day to day operations. The SOP's ensure property is managed properly and consistently. The SOP's were written for all aspects of general property, i.e. drugs, firearms, vault, bicycles and the day to day operation as it relates to data entry, destructions, and sending away / returning property. The SOP's have established a parameter for new and current members of the Unit to refer to when conducting business and sets an expectation of performance. PROCESSES Purging Over the past two years, the Evidence and Property Unit has worked hard to refine many processes that were cumbersome, and inefficient. This has enabled the Unit to operate much more efficiently. This positive impact has been realized Service-wide. A new 'In-House' property management system was built by the Service's IT Section in partnership with the Evidence and Property Unit titled the Evidence & Property Retention Review Process. This online system allows a member to view their entire inventory of property by simply entering their regimental number into the online system. Simply clicking their mouse, a member can immediately determine the disposition of property whether it is to return, hold, or destroy. There is no maximum number of files that a member can manage at one given time. Hundreds of pieces of property can be released or destroyed in anyone submission, and the Service's computer inventory of property is automatically updated. Another process designed to compliment the Property Retention Review Form is a manual audit process. Designated members of the Unit manually audit the storage areas on a continual basis for old case files that are finished through court. Once these files are identified, the primary investigator is sent a notice requesting a disposition on the file. This has proved incredibly successful. These two processes have enabled the Unit to destroy I return approximately 130,000 pieces of property over the past two years. Drugs The Calgary Police Service no longer retains large amounts of drugs in the Evidence and Property Unit. Large seizures of drugs are weighed and photographed. Samples are taken by the investigator and sent to the crime lab for analysis. Once this is completed the drugs are destroyed. Presently, over ninety percent of the drugs retained by the Evidence and Property Unit are 'samples'. waiting for court. This significantly reduces the liability associated to holding large quantities of drugs. Firearms The Evidence and Property Unit has two sworn officers assigned to the Firearms Support Unit. These members report to the Sergeant of the Evidence and Property Unit. The mandate of this Unit is education of firearms to public and sworn personnel including liaising with the 'gun community' such as firing ranges and gun clubs. Secondly, they review all files with firearm involvement. Seized firearms are researched and files with firearms seized under suspicious circumstances are tested through CIBIN and IBIS.
CIBIN (Canadian Integrated Ballistic Identification Network) is an automated ballistic tool comprised ofIBIS (Integrated Ballistics Identification System) Units that collect, collate and correlate fired bullets and cartridge cases in a central database to generate investigative leads for police. CIBIN and IBIS are Canadian developed systems. These tools are currently used throughout the world, with over 250 units presently in operation in the United States. The risk management as it relates to firearms cannot be understated. As a result of this Unit's function, firearms have been linked to other crimes which would have otherwise gone undetected. Both sworn members in the Firearms Support Unit also exam and document the history of each firearm including the related court documentation. A determination is then made if the owner is even allowed to have possession their firearm(s) after court proceedings are completed. In the event they are, there is a Standard Operating Procedure to deal with this. The Firearms Support Unit has proven to be invaluable to the operations of the Evidence and Property Unit. Vault The Evidence and Property Unit has a fully functioning walk-in vault.
Money seized is placed
Drug money is sent to the Federal Government in Ottawa, Ontario where it is held awaiting a disposition from the courts, i.e. forfeiture, return, etc. Monies seized otherwise during the course of duty by police officers is deposited to the City of Calgary and held in trust depending on the outcome of the file, i.e. forfeiture, return, etc. The Finance Section will attend the Evidence and Property Unit when requested in unique circumstances. The proper management of seized property is critical to Policing Agencies.
The Calgary Police Service has endeavored to enhance their operation and
streamline the Evidence and Property Unit. Other endeavors such as annual
audits and an external audit by the Evidence Control Systems, Inc. in July
of 2006 have significantly contributed to the Unit's efficiency, risk management,
and ability. The author: Sergeant Ron Ternes is an eighteen year member of the Calgary Police Service. He has a wide variety of experience and has been with the Evidence and Property Unit for three years, and initiated many of the changes in the Unit's processes and function. Sergeant Ternes' contact information is ron.ternes@calgarypolice.ca or (403) 206-8002. Below are additional photos not published with the article in the Evidence Log:
Copyright © 2006 International Association for Property and Evidence, Inc. Reprinted from the Evidence Log, Volume 2006, Number 3, Page 44 |
