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Applicable To:  All employees

Approval Authority:  Chief Richard J. Pennington

Signature:  Signed by RJP

Date Signed:  6/15/2004

1.               PURPOSE

To establish policies for the security and proper disposition of all property coming into its custody for the Atlanta Police Department.

2.               POLICY

The Department will maintain property in the same condition as received and preserve the evidentiary integrity of property that is contraband or held for presentation in court.  Every reasonable effort will be made to return property to its rightful owner.

3.               RESPONSIBILITIES

3.1              Police officers will turn into the Property Control Unit all weapons, evidence or property using Property/Evidence Inventory Form (APD-006) as described in this directive.

4.               ACTION

4.1              Property/Evidence Inventory Form (APD-006)

The property/evidence inventory (form APD006) is designed to aid in the formal accounting of property and evidence held by the Department.  Use it to document evidence, and lost, damaged, seized, or stolen property.

The proper completion of the form will contribute to the proper security and disposition of the property or evidence.  a copy of the form follows these instructions, which are numbered to correspond with the illustration.  When used to document evidence or property turned in to Property Control, this form takes the place of the property data part of the incident report.

4.1.1           When to Prepare the Property/Evidence Inventory

1.    The property/evidence inventory will be completed whenever property or evidence

       is taken into custody and held by the Department.

2.    If additional space is needed to list property or evidence being turned in to

       Property Control, use another property/evidence inventory form, with the same

       incident number.  Number the pages.

3.    When used to report the recovery of property, it will be a supplement to the

       original incident report, with the incident number from the original incident report.

4.    List property and evidence on separate copies of the form.  Use a separate copy

       to list narcotics.  Use a separate form for each person identified as an owner.      

4.1.2           Distribution

1.    The officer will turn in the property/evidence inventory to Property Control with the

       property or evidence.  Property Control will turn the form in to Central Records.

2.    The Property / Evidence Inventory is printed on No Carbon Required (NCR) paper. 

       The copies are distributed as indicated on the bottom of the form:

a.    Central Records (white):  The original, it is turned in with the rest of the

       report to the officer's supervisor for approval and forwarding to the Central

       Records Unit as a part of the incident report.

b.    Property Control (brown):  This copy is turned in to the Property Control

       Unit along with any actual property or evidence.

c.    Reporting Officer (pink):  This copy is retained by the officer for his or her

       records.

d.    Owner (gold):  This copy is given to the owner of the property listed on the

       form.

3.    The property/evidence inventory must have an incident number and an

       accompanying incident report, with the exception of property seized from persons

       charged with a "victimless" type crime, in which case the arrest citation must

       have an incident number.

4.1.3           Preparing the Property/Evidence Inventory

Following the preparation instructions is a copy of the report.  The blanks are numbered and correspond to the instructions.

1.    "PAGE" and "OF":   See Section 9.2.3A, regarding page numbering.

2.    DATE:  Enter the date the form is being completed.  NOTE:  This is not always

       the same as the date of the incident.  Use the numerical format, such as

       01/01/98.

3.    INCIDENT NUMBER:  Enter the nine digit incident number. 

4.    OWNER'S NAME:  Enter the LAST name first, followed by the first name, middle

       name and suffix of the owner of the property listed on the form.

5.    VICTIM / ARRESTED PERSON / OTHER: Indicate whether the owner is a victim,

       or has been arrested.  If the listed property does not belong to an identifiable

       victim or arrested person check "Other."  

6.    CONTROL NUMBER:  Leave blank.  This space is used by the Property Control

       Unit.

7.    ADDRESS:  Enter the street address where the incident occurred.  The address

       must be entered as a street number, street name, apartment number, city, state,

       and zip code.

8.    TELEPHONE NUMBER:  Enter the area code and phone number for the property

       owner.  If the area code is 404 or 770, circle the appropriate selection.

4.1.4           Property Data

9.    RECORD TYPE:  Enter the appropriate code from the options shown just above

       this column to indicate why the property is being listed. 

10.  QUANTITY / DESCRIPTION:  Enter the quantity and unit of measure. (For

       example: 3 ea, 5 cases, 2 boxes)  Then identify the item with make, model, brand

       name, color and other identifying features.

11.  PROPERTY TYPE:  Enter the appropriate code from the table just above this

       column.   

12.  SERIAL NUMBER OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER:  Enter the serial number

       or other identifying number from the item being listed.

13.  ESTIMATED VALUE DOLLAR AMOUNT:  Enter the dollar value of the item being

       listed to the nearest dollar.  Use the owner's estimate when available.

14.  PROPERTY STATUS:  Enter the appropriate code from the table just above this

       column. 

a.    To indicate an item listed is being held by the APD Property Control Unit,

       enter the appropriate code for "property,"  "evidence" or a "found item." 

b.    Indicate whether the item listed was "Returned" to the owner. Then enter

       who the item was returned to in the "Custody" Block .

c.    When an item listed is not in possession of the owner nor held by the

       Property Control Unit indicate "NA," Not in possession of APD. 

15.  RECOVERED BY:  When listed items have been recovered, enter the name of the

       person who recovered them.  List the name by entering the LAST name, first

       name, and middle initial.

16.  CUSTODY:  When items are recovered, indicate who the items are returned to.  If

       the items are returned to the owner, enter "owner."  If the items are returned to

       someone other than the owner, list the name by entering the LAST name, first

       name, and middle initial.

17.  LOCATION ITEMS WERE FOUND OR RECOVERED:  Enter the street address

       where the items are found or recovered.  The address must be entered as a street

       number, street name, apartment number, city, state, and zip code.

4.1.5           Chain of Custody

18.  REPORTING OFFICER:  The name of the officer who is writing the original report. 

       Officers will enter their LAST name first, followed by their first and second initials,

       and their suffix (Jr., Sr., III) if any.

19.  ASSIGNMENT NUMBER:  Enter the radio assignment number used for

       identification on police radio.

20.  APD ID NUMBER:  The reporting officer's assigned Atlanta Police Department ID

       number.

21.  TRANSPORTING  OFFICER:  The name of the officer who brings the property to

       the APD Property Control Unit.  Officers will enter their LAST name first, followed

       by their first and second initials, and their suffix (Jr., Sr., III) if any.  Write "Same"

       if the reporting officer transports.

22.  ASSIGNMENT NUMBER:  Enter the transporting officer's radio assignment

       number used for identification on police radio.

23.  APD ID NUMBER:  Enter the transporting officer's assigned Atlanta Police

       Department ID number.

24.  OWNER / DEFENDANT SIGNATURE:   Whenever the owner or defendant is

       available and the reporting officer is seizing evidence or preparing property for turn-

       in to the Property Control Unit, the reporting officer will have the owner or

       defendant sign this block to acknowledge receipt of a copy of the

       property/evidence inventory.

25.  DATE:  The owner or defendant will enter the date he or she has signed to

       acknowledge receipt of a copy of the property/evidence inventory.

26.  PROPERTY CLERK/OFFICER:  The name of the property clerk or person who

       receives the property listed from the transporting officer.  Property employees will

       enter their LAST name first, followed by their first name, middle initial, and their

       suffix (Jr., Sr., III) if any.

27.  APD ID NUMBER:  The property clerk or officer will enter their assigned Atlanta

       Police Department ID number.

28.  STORAGE LOCATION:  Leave blank. Entered by the Property Control Unit.

5.               DEFINITIONS

N/A

6.               CANCELLATIONS

FM Ch 9 Sec 9.5 “Property Evidence Form”
     

7.               REFERENCES

N/A