	Lakewood Police Department Policy and Procedure		Effective Date: 04/22/2021
	Policy Number: PP-7401 - Receiving Items at the Property & Evidence Unit

A. Policy - None

B. Procedure

1. Upon receipt at the Property & Evidence Unit, or alternate storage facilities, the receiving Property and Evidence Technician:

a. Shall ensure that the property is accompanied by an entry into the property and evidence management tracking system, and

b. Shall ensure by comparison that the number of items marked on the evidence container matches the number of entries in the Property and evidence tracking system, and

c. Shall ensure that the items booked are in compliance with booking and packaging procedures outlined in section 4700 of the Department Manual.

2. When the Property and Evidence Technician ensures that proper booking procedures have been followed, the accepting Property and Evidence Technician shall:

a. Edit the initial entry as necessary, and

b. Store the property or evidence in the designated storage areas, and

c. Update the storage location in the property and evidence management tracking system.

3. If the property booked has been authorized for release, and the owner has been identified, the Property and Evidence Technician shall send a letter of notification to the owner, provided that the property does not consist of illegal narcotics, dangerous drugs, illegal drug implements, or in itself is illegal to possess or would pose a health or safety threat to the public or any reason deemed unacceptable by Property Supervision.

a. The date that the letter to owner was sent shall be recorded in the property and evidence management tracking system.

b. If the property booked consists of $100 or more in U.S. cash or firearm(s), the letter shall be sent by certified mail and the label number documented in the property and evidence management tracking system.

c. Returned letters to owners shall be reviewed and any necessary corrections to the owners name or address shall be made and a new letter to owner sent as necessary for follow-up.

d. Returned letters to owners shall be noted in the property and evidence management tracking system.

C. Rule

Property and evidence submitted to the Property & Evidence Unit by the booking employee shall not be accepted into storage until the noted Department policy or procedure discrepancies are resolved or approved exception authorized by Property and Evidence Supervisor.