Thanks, Anonymous Evidence Clerk in NC

You're not the first in the country to deal with this mindset. Why do we do specific processes in our property rooms  "cause, that's the way we've always done it". The same applies to the courts and prosecutors. Just because we have always done something a particular way it doesn't make it right.

To start with, there needs to be a discussion between the chief or sheriff with the prosecutor on the necessity of maintaining  accurate documentation of what happened when any evidence is transferred and  someone else takes custody of it.

In five years from now when the case comes up on appeal and the court or prosecutor can't find the evidence, they  can easily deflect the investigation and say that the department still has it. 

The department needs to do everything in its power to have records that will protect the organization and its employees. The best process is any time anything leaves the custody of the property room that it is documented with a signature date and time.  When it is transferred to the custody of the court, crime lab, other agency, etc..  There needs to be a paper trail that has a signature of the receiving party, date,  and the final location of the evidence. On a daily basis law enforcement is being challenged with cases  were 25-year-old DNA evidence is needed  when a case is appealed and we need to have the best records possible. Innocence Project Your present procedures fail best practices and professional standards. IAPE Professional Standards