Sustainable evidence management operations require facilities capable of safely storing and preserving evidence throughout its custody. A secure chain of custody is predicated on security considerations that limit access to evidence to a controlled and known quantity.
Evidence storage and management can present multiple safety issues that require planning and consideration to sustain a safe environment for evidence room personnel. Implementation and adoption of the Facility.
Security and Safety standards and practices recommended by the Evidence Management Institute promotes a stable organizational baseline for sustainable evidence management.
This chapter covers:
Access or Entry Log.
A document, or electronic report that provides detailed information about persons who enter secure evidence storage or submission areas; recording names, identification numbers, dates and times of entry and exit, and the identification of any personnel escorting the person to provide access.
Evidence Storage Area.
Generic term for the secure portion(s) of the facility where physical or digital evidence is stored.
Evidence Records Area.
Generic term for the secure portion(s) of the facility where evidence records are stored.
Evidence Processing Area.
Generic term for the secure portion(s) of the facility where evidence is processed from intake lockers or prepared for movement from the evidence management facility.
Personal Protective Gear (PPG).
Generic term for personal safety equipment issued or used by evidence operation personnel; common forms of PPG include nitrile or latex gloves, respirator masks, eye-protection, or protective garments.
Facilities housing evidence management operations at an agency should be capable of providing appropriate storage environment conditions for the types of evidence stored by the agency.
Facilities housing evidence management operations should be appropriately maintained and routinely cleaned to provide safe working conditions and an orderly environment for evidence management.
Evidence management facilities should be lighted sufficiently to provide visibility and working conditions that support the detailed work processes involved in evidence management and the property identification of evidence items.
Agencies should avoid using lighting sources that generate excessive heat or excessive ultraviolet radiation to prevent unintentional exposure damage to evidence items or to evidence packages and labels.
Agencies should consider installing emergency lighting equipment, or equipping evidence management personnel with flashlights in case of power outage.
Facility temperature and humidity levels should be regulated to ensure the appropriate storage and preservation of evidence.
Agencies should consider installing back up power generation equipment to ensure continuous operation of evidence management environmental control systems, security systems and cold storage equipment.
The practice of storing evidence management unit or agency supplies in secure evidence storage areas should be avoided.
Evidence management unit facilities commonly feature the following specific use areas:
Facility design and construction may limit or require consolidation of facility areas, but evidence management facilities should be capable of providing functionality for each applicable facility area.
Unescorted access to secure evidence storage, evidence records or evidence processing areas should be limited to evidence management unit personnel.
Unescorted access into secure evidence storage, evidence records or evidence processing areas should be documented on an access or entry log book, form, or similar electronic media report.
The evidence management unit should retain entry or access records permanently.
At a minimum, the access or entry log should document:
Walls and windows should be constructed or modified to prevent unauthorized or undetected access into secure evidence storage, evidence processing or evidence records areas.
Doors and door frames should be constructed or modified to prevent unauthorized or undetected access or removal for entry into secure evidence storage, evidence processing or evidence records areas.
Door hinges should not be located on the exterior or public side of the doorway.
Locks, locking systems and keyless access systems utilized for secure evidence storage, evidence processing or evidence records entry points should meet the following criteria:
The evidence management unit should retain accurate and continuously updated physical key and keyless access control records which detail:
Evidence management unit personnel who are assigned physical keys or keyless access cards should acknowledge receipt and possession of assigned keys by form, including signature.
If biometric keyless access systems are used in lieu of key or keyless card access, the evidence management unit should retain accurate and continuously updated control records which detail:
Locks or keyways to evidence management evidence management facility doors or locks should be changed or re-keyed after personnel changes in the unit.
The implementation of electronic key control storage and authorization system may be an appropriate alternative to physical lock or keyway changes.
Access cards for personnel transferring from, or otherwise leaving the evidence management unit, should be immediately de-activated upon separation of assignment.
The following storage or processing areas require increased security measures to ensure the integrity of evidence and to prevent unauthorized or unescorted access:
Temporary storage areas, including evidence submission storage areas, should provide sufficient security to ensure chain of custody prior to processing and acceptance by the evidence management unit. General security measures for temporary storage areas should provide:
Evidence management security practices should prevent unauthorized access or attempted entry to secure areas as a first priority.
Prevention of unauthorized access or entry cannot always be achieved given existing facility limitations. The second priority in evidence management security is detection of unauthorized access or attempted entry.
Incorporation of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles into evidence management unit security features and practices will enhance the overall security level of evidence management operations.
Utilizing lightly constructed or hollow core doors and wood door frames may create an easy access point for unauthorized access or intrusion. Consider steel doors and door frames in lieu of hollow-core wood doors and wood door frames.
Windows and window frames inside evidence storage areas, evidence processing areas or evidence records areas may create an easy access point for unauthorized access or intrusion. Consider replacement of standard windows and frames with security grade window glass and window frames, or reinforcing existing windows and frames to prevent access or intrusion.
For walls adjacent to evidence storage areas, evidence processing areas or evidence record areas, cinder block, concrete or walls constructed of solid materials from grade to roof are preferred over traditional drywall framing construction.
Solid wall construction that does not extend from grade to roof may create an easy access point for unauthorized access or intrusion.
Consider reinforcement of traditionally framed walls, and extension of solid wall construction from grade to roof.
Drop ceilings, unless combined with solid grade to roof wall construction on all sides, may create an easy access point for unauthorized access or intrusion. Consider reinforcement of adjacent walls as described in this section.
Facility roof construction may create an easy access point for unauthorized access or intrusion. Consider reinforcement as appropriate.
Most combination locks and padlocks commonly available for retail sale carry inherent security vulnerabilities. The security features of these products can often be defeated with little or no effort or training.
Additional keys can often be obtained from the code printed on the locking system. Consider use of high-security locks that provide key control and accountability measures equivalent to the standards and practices for facility locking systems.
The practice of keying all facility keys to a common key or keyway pattern should not be utilized in evidence storage, evidence record, or evidence processing areas. Keys and keyways for evidence management unit locks and locking systems should ideally not conform to other general facility keys and keyways.
Bulk storage areas and external storage areas, especially those outside the footprint of the evidence management system facility, should be equipped with security measures that ensure the integrity of stored evidence and limit access to authorized personnel.
Additional or enhanced security measures may be required to ensure the secure chain of custody for items stored in these areas.
Access to bulk or external storage areas should be subject to documentation or require evidence management unit escorted access into these areas.
Offsite storage of evidence, unless exigent circumstances exist, is discouraged as a general practice.
If offsite storage is required due to facility or case limitations, security measures for offsite storage should be equivalent to security measures in place for the main evidence management unit facility.
Additional or enhanced security measures may be required to ensure the secure chain of custody for items stored in these areas.
Access to offsite storage areas should be subject to documentation or require evidence management unit escorted access into these areas.
Human factors are the primary weak point for most security plans. A security culture within the evidence management unit that fails to adhere to established security procedures negates the potential effectiveness of all physical security measures.
Access logs, key control and keyless access card lists, notifications from access alarms or systems and surveillance video footage should be routinely reviewed for potential security violations. Unaudited security measures negate the effectiveness of each respective security measure.
Security systems that are based on trusting personnel to “do the right thing,” or failing to implement security protocols for similar reasons, actually do a disservice to unit personnel and the overall integrity of evidence management operations. Effective security measures protect the evidence, the agency and evidence management personnel equally from discredit, harm or loss.
In order to achieve higher security levels to protect vulnerable evidence types, it is advisable to employ a combination of physical and procedural high-security features in the security plan for the area. High-security feature options include:
Key control and keyless access control records should be routinely audited to ensure that no unauthorized personnel have been granted access without proper authorization and clearance.
Most keyless access control systems can record and limit facility access by person, time, day of week. Consider limiting keyless access for all personnel to prevent unauthorized access.
It is best practice that a supervisor or manager of an evidence management unit has administrative rights to keyless card reader software systems to limit and audit access to authorized users.
Security alarms, especially in facilities occupied less than 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, are recommended for all evidence management units.
Ideally security alarms should alert the system and evidence management unit administrator:
Environmental alarms, especially in facilities occupied less than 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, are recommended for all evidence management units.
Ideally environmental alarms should alert the system and evidence management unit administrator:
Video surveillance systems, especially in facilities occupied less than 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, are recommended for all evidence management units.
Video surveillance areas should ideally include:
Ideally video surveillance footage should be retained for a minimum of two years, however available bandwidth and digital storage systems may not provide for extended retention. Retention should be set at the maximum time period that bandwidth and storage capacity can allow.
Agencies should consider motion activated cameras to conserve file storage space and extend retention periods. Motion activated cameras may require full lighting conditions to operate effectively.
Video surveillance cameras should record at a resolution that captures sufficient detail to identify persons and actions from the file footage.
When designing the video surveillance system, special consideration should be paid to optimize camera angle and field of view and avoid potential obstructions.
Cameras should be mounted and encased in a tamper resistant mount.
Cameras and recording systems should be equipped with battery backup in case of power failure.
The use of on-site physical recording devices is generally less preferable than an I.P. (Internet Protocol) Camera system with cloud server storage and remote viewing capabilities.
In the event that after-hours access into the property room is required for non-evidence management personnel to enter secured areas of the evidence management unit, procedures should be developed to ensure the security and integrity of evidence.
It is a best practice to require callback of evidence management unit personnel to provide escorted access into secure areas within the evidence management unit.
If callback of evidence management unit personnel is not an option, and keyless access systems are utilized at the facility, remote access can be granted by the evidence management unit keyless access system administrator.
The practice of providing an emergency key stored outside the unit should be avoided. However, keys protected by a mechanical or electronic key access control system may provide a suitable alternative to the unsecured storage of evidence unit keys.
If an agency elects to permit non-evidence management unit personnel to access the facility after-hours, a full video surveillance system and significant access limitations are recommended.
Certain types of evidence may require drying or further processing prior to packaging and submission to the evidence management unit. To accommodate the appropriate preservation of evidence and provide a secure chain of custody for the item, specific procedures for handling these circumstances should be developed based on the agency’s facility design and equipment required for processing prior to submission. Considerations should include:
The evidence management unit should provide safe working environment conditions for evidence management unit personnel that mitigate known hazards or risks that commonly associated with evidence handling.
Evidence Management Unit personnel should receive safety training that provides instruction in the following areas:
Evidence management personnel should be required to utilize appropriate personal protective gear when handling evidence.
Evidence storage and processing areas should provide adequate ventilation for the continued safe storage and preservation of evidence.
Evidence storage and processing areas should provide adequate ventilation for the continued safe storage and preservation of evidence.
Due to the limited access requirements for evidence security, and potential exposure to safety risks related to equipment and stored evidence, the use of distress alarms or other emergency communication technology is recommended for personnel working in evidence management facilities.
Fentanyl and other opioid and synthetic opioid chemicals can create an exposure risk that is virtually impossible to accurately predict or prevent prior to exposure. Due to the risk involved, providing documented training and equipping evidence management personnel with one or more dosage units of Naloxone Hydrochloride, commonly referred to as Narcan, is a recommended safety practice.
