Evidence Custodian

Nigel Wright Consultancy Ltd (UK); Fairbanks (AK); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Fairbanks Police Department seeks an Evidence Technician to manage property and evidence in a secure, organized property room. You will maintain chain-of-custody, prepare items for testing, and prepare reports and materials for legal review.

The role requires data-entry skills, database maintenance, and the ability to work with public and legal partners while upholding confidentiality and departmental procedures.

Qualifications

• Requires hard work, organization, and strict accountability for property and evidence.
• Must pass mandatory background check for the position.
• Experience with data-entry, databases, and chain-of-custody procedures is essential.
• Ability to coordinate with District Attorney’s Office and private attorneys.
• Ability to operate light vehicles and perform clerical duties.

Responsibilities

• Catalogs and data-enters property and evidence for storage and retrieval.
• Packages and mails evidence to crime lab and other agencies while maintaining chain-of-custody.
• Maintains databases for tracking property, evidence, and department statistics.
• Coordinates asset-forfeiture and proper disposal of assets and funds per interagency agreements.
• Communicates with DA, Public Defender, and attorneys to provide reports and materials as requested.
• Disposes of retained property per department procedures and arranges for sale or distribution of proceeds.
• Conducts property room audits to ensure accountability and transparency.
• Gives direction and information to the public and maintains professional public relations.
• Receives training and participates in report writing; performs courier and clerical duties.
• Responds to incidents to process evidence and ensures confidentiality.

Skills

Problem solving

Regulatory compliance

Organizational systems

Stress management

Clear communication

Attention to detail

Interpersonal relations

Decision making

Record keeping

Documentation

Reading legal documents

Public interaction

Physical endurance

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Job description

This position performs duties within the Evidence Section of the Fairbanks Police Department. This class does not involve direct law enforcement and is not a commissioned position. Mandatory Background Check for this Position is required. This position requires extensive organizational skills, with the strictest accountability maintained for all items of property and evidence.

Essential Job Functions

• Catalogs, completes data-entry information on, and stores items of property and evidence for later retrieval;
• Processes, packages, and mails evidence to the State Crime Laboratory and other appropriate receiving agencies for further testing and examination, maintaining “chain-of-custody” procedures in the process;
• Maintains numerous computerized databases to track property, evidence, digital media, and various department statistical information;
• Coordinates and tracks City and Federal asset-forfeiture, to include proper disposal of assets and disbursement of funds/proceeds to the proper accounts and sharing agencies pursuant to current interagency agreements;
• Coordinates communications closely with the District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Agency, and private attorneys to provide requested reports, photos, copies of digital media, and other items of evidence as requested;
• Actively disposes of retained property and evidence on a regular basis, pursuant to lawful Department procedures.
• Arranges for the auction and sale/disposal of items which no longer need to be retained, and ensure of the proper distribution of proceeds;
• Facilitate property room audits to ensure accountability and transparency of operations;
• Give direction and information to the general public;
• Maintain pleasant and effective public relations;
• Receive training and participate in various types of report writing;
• Accomplish various courier and clerical duties;
• Participate in in-service training conferences and programs;
• Drive an automobile;
• Review possible graphic or offensive information, photos, video, or audio recordings;
• Adhere to the confidentiality standards of the Fairbanks Police Department;
• Process chemicals, illicit drugs, blood borne pathogens safely. This will sometimes include unpleasant odors;
• Respond to incidents to process and receive evidence as necessary.

The above examples are representative of assignments performed by this class and are not intended to be all inclusive.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Candidates hired must satisfactorily demonstrate these factors during a prescribed probationary period for continued employment:

• Ability to problem solve unique situations and objectively to determine a course of action.
• Ability to read, understand, and adhere to rules and regulations.
• Ability to develop and maintain complex organizational systems
• Ability to cope with stressful situations.
• Ability to communicate in a clear and professional manner, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to observe and remember details.
• Ability to maintain effective working relations with fellow employees, court officers, prosecutors, and defense attorneys.
• Ability to operate light duty motor vehicles skillfully and in a proper manner.
• Ability to make decisions in accordance with regulations and apply these to work problems.
• Ability to keep records accurately.
• Ability to read and understand legal documents and court decisions.
• Ability to deal with citizens from varied racial, ethnic or economic backgrounds.
• Ability to prepare reports and correspondence.
• Ability to understand and carry out complex oral and written instructions.
• Physical strength and agility sufficient to perform the work of the class.

Qualifications

Persons applying for this position must have the following:

• Graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent.
• Experience which demonstrates reasoning skills and the ability to deal with the public as well as the performance of essential job functions for this class.
• Must have the keyboard dexterity to operate a computer terminal and perform typing and data-entry for sustained periods, and possess the technical proficiency required to learn multiple computer programs and database applications.
• Demonstrate a minimum typing speed of 45 wpm.
• Possess and maintain a valid State of Alaska driver's license throughout the duration of employment.
• Requires a comprehensive background investigation to include a local, state, and federal criminal history check.
• Possess and maintain blood borne pathogens training on annual basis.

Work Environment

The work is typically performed in an office and outdoors. The employee may be exposed to noise, dust, dirt, machinery with moving parts, and cold or inclement weather. The work may require the use of protective devices.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, run, use hands and fingers to handle, or operate objects, controls, or tools. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and taste or smell.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.