Property and Evidence Technician

City-of-Asheville; Asheville (NC); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Asheville Police Department is seeking an Evidence & Property Technician to preserve, store, and manage evidence and property in the evidence room. You will help maintain inventory, order supplies, and assist with preparations for auctions of seized and unclaimed items.

Responsibilities include handling various evidence types, maintaining the chain of custody, assisting in court, and returning property to rightful owners, all while following applicable laws and department policies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, or related field required.
• One year of inventory management experience preferred or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Responsibilities

• Preserve and store evidence and property in the evidence room according to rules and procedures.
• Maintain inventory, order supplies, and assist in preparations for auctions of seized and unclaimed property.
• Maintain chain of custody, sign for, transfer, and release evidence per security measures and laws.
• Assist in providing testimony in court regarding chain of custody and procedures.
• Return stored and found property to rightful owners and verify ownership for release.
• Communicate with supervisor, other City staff, court officials, and outside agencies to coordinate work.

Skills

Inventory management

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, or related field

Job description

About our opportunity:

The City of Asheville - Police Department is looking for a qualified, professional Evidence & Property Technician. The purpose of this position is to preserve and store all evidence and property submitted to the evidence room. This position is responsible for assisting the Evidence and Property Manager in maintaining the inventory of property, ordering and disseminating supplies, and assisting the Evidence and Property Manager in conducting preparations for auction of seized and unclaimed property.

Essential Functions:

The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned.

Receives various types of evidence and property, such as sums of money, documents, drugs, weapons, and other evidence and property confiscated by local law enforcement officials: checks for accuracy of items listed on property sheets; records and indexes evidence and property into file management system; and labels, packages, and stores evidence and property in compliance with evidence rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.

Maintains the chain of custody for evidence collected by the department: signs for, transfers, and releases evidence and property in compliance with prescribed security measures and applicable local, state, and federal rules, regulations, codes, and standards; enters information into computer system to complete custody transaction; ensures secure transport of evidence to and from crime and toxicology labs for testing or court as needed; and ensures all property and evidence is preserved and accounted for according to evidence and chain of custody rules, regulations, laws, ordinances, policies, procedures, and industry best practices.

Assists with evidence/property items in court as necessary: testifies in court as to chain of custody and procedures followed ensuring evidence was not tampered with.

Receives and executes court orders to destroy evidence: arranges for destruction of weapons and contraband in accordance with regulations; and maintains appropriate records.

Prepares and returns stored and found property to rightful owner: compares stolen property reports with recovered items; contacts owners and/or transports articles to regular/bulk storage; arranges for owners to identify and claim property; verifies ownership and authorization for property release; completes necessary paperwork to return property to individuals from whom it was confiscated, to owners from which it was stolen, or other appropriate personnel.

Communicates with supervisor, other City employees, the public, court officials, outside agencies and organizations, and other individuals as needed to coordinate work activities, review status of work, exchange information, or resolve problems.

Processes a variety of documentation associated with department/division operations, within designated timeframes and per established procedures: receives, reviews, prepares, completes, processes, forwards or retains as appropriate various forms, reports, correspondence, requests for examination, property reports, Chain of Custody records, property and evidence vouchers, authorizations to return evidence, court orders, and other documentation; compiles data for further processing or for use in preparation of department reports; and maintains computerized and/or hardcopy records.

Operates a personal computer to enter, retrieve, review, or modify data, utilizing word processing, spreadsheet, database, Internet, e-mail, or other software; and operates general office or other equipment as necessary to complete essential functions.

Additional Functions:

Performs other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, or a related field required; supplemented by one year of experience in inventory management; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

Specific License or Certification Required:

Must possess and maintain a valid North Carolina driver’s license.

Specific Knowledge, Skills, or Abilities:

Must be able to demonstrate proficiency in performance of the essential functions and learn, comprehend, and apply all City or departmental policies, practices, and procedures necessary to function effectively in the position.

Performance Aptitudes:

Data Utilization:

Requires the ability to review, classify, categorize, prioritize, and/or analyze data. Includes exercising discretion in determining data classification, and in referencing such analysis to established standards for the purpose of recognizing actual or probable interactive effects and relationships.

Human Interaction:

Requires the ability to work with and apply principles of persuasion and/or influence over others to coordinate programs or activities of a project, and resolve typical problems associated with the responsibilities of the job.

Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization:

Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.

Verbal Aptitude:

Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive, and/or advisory data and information.

Mathematical Aptitude:

Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; the ability to calculate decimals and percentages; the ability to utilize principles of fractions; and the ability to interpret graphs.

Functional Reasoning:

Requires the ability to apply principles of rational systems; to interpret instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form; and to exercise independent judgment to adopt or modify methods and standards to meet variations in assigned objectives.

Situational Reasoning:

Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving evaluation of information against measurable or verifiable criteria.

Physical Ability:

Tasks require the ability to exert very moderate physical effort in light work, typically involving some combination of stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling, and which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of moderate weight (12-20 pounds).

Sensory Requirements:

Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate colors or shades of colors, and visual cues or signals. Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.

Environmental Factors:

Performance of essential functions may require exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as dirt, dust, odors, heights, confined spaces, bright/dim lights, explosives, firearms, disease, pathogenic substances, or rude/irate customers.