Property and Evidence Custodian

Essential Job Functions

• Receives property and evidence from law enforcement officers; documents receipt of items; maintains the technical chain of possession from intake to final disposition; assures the integrity of the evidence management process.
• Collections, preserves, logs and secures evidence collected by law enforcement officers in accordance with state laws and County policies and procedures; marks and stores all evidence in an orderly manner for quick retrieval; documents all handling of evidence and property; maintains activity logs and generates reports as needed.
• Stores and safeguards property and evidence, including seized, recovered, and found property; enters and updates data into computer system; mails and transports evidence to crime laboratory for testing; releases items to authorized parties; documents return of evidence to custody.
• Secures and stores all evidence to maintain the proper chain of evidence for court presentation; releases items to authorized parties for court purposes and laboratory analysis; documents return of evidence to custody.
• Researches and tracks case dispositions for disposal and release of evidence and property; upon notification of case closure from appropriate authority, destroys or disposes of evidence and property, or returns to owner.
• Maintains property room log book and inventory listing; verifies completeness of reports and case documentation; conducts regular inventory of evidence room and property.
• Processes confiscated weapons; traces weapons through ATF and other databases; assures legal procedures are followed.
• Issues, stores and maintains Sheriff's Department equipment and supplies as directed.
• Reviews and verifies reports and legal documents, and processes according to policy and procedures.
• Collects statistical data and compiles data for reports; assures the accuracy of databases.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED equivalent, AND three (3) or more years of sworn law enforcement experience or closely related public safety experience, OR an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Determination of equivalent or similar experience will require internal review and approval.
• Must pass a thorough background investigation.
• Specific technical training and Property and Evidence Specialist Certification may be required.
• Knowledge of County policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of basic functions, procedures, and policies of the Sheriff's Department.
• Knowledge of rules for the collecting, preserving and securing of physical evidence.
• Knowledge of pertinent Federal, state, and local criminal and civil laws, codes and regulations.
• Knowledge of basic laws and regulations governing the release of information from law enforcement agency records.
• Knowledge of the principles of record keeping and records management.
• Skill in packaging and organizing numerous items of evidence in an orderly fashion for storage and retrieval.
• Skill in the careful evaluation, processing and safekeeping of property and evidence.
• Skill in maintaining accurate evidence records and generating special and periodic reports.
• Skill in operating a personal computer utilizing a variety of software applications.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with public officials, outside agencies, County staff and the general public.
• Skill in effectively communicating verbally and in writing.