Evidence Technician

Duties and Requirements Click to read more

Duties

Essential Duties

• Receives, logs, categorizes, and stores property and evidence impounded by police personnel, ensuring proper tagging, barcoding, documentation, storage, and maintenance of chain of custody.
• Verifies packaging of incoming items, including hazardous materials, confirming that all property is correctly labeled, sealed, and dated.
• Maintains custody and control of all property and evidence, including narcotics, biohazards, firearms and weapons.
• Prepares evidentiary items for trial and assists officers as needed.
• Locates and notifies property owners, assists the public with identifying and claiming property, and processes items for donation or auction in accordance with court orders.
• Ensures proper storage, organization, and inventory of all property and evidence.
• Documents chain of custody entries and testifies in court when required.
• Assists in maintaining compliance with Texas Best Practices standards and related documentation.
• Transports and receives evidence and reports to and from laboratories for analysis.
• Researches to determine the proper disposition of evidence and completes related documentation for disposal.
• Transports disposed evidence to approved disposal sites as required.
• Maintains current knowledge of federal, state, and local laws related to property and evidence management.
• Assists with the maintenance of medical disposal boxes and drug or paraphernalia bins.
• Participates in inventories and audits of all property and evidence in accordance with departmental policy and Texas Best Practices.
• Maintains the property room, evidence lockers, and work areas in clean and orderly condition.
• Handles and deposits currency according to established procedures.
• Maintains punctual and regular on-site attendance and may be required to report after hours as needed.
• Works independently in the absence of the supervisor and assists coworkers as needed.
• Adheres to safety, departmental, and administrative policies and procedures.
• Follows the chain of command and keeps the supervisor informed of all work activities.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED) is required.
• Must have a valid state-issued driver's license, and driving record must comply with city policy.
• May have to submit to and pass a post-offer, non-regulated drug test, polygraph, and psychological exam, and thorough background checks (including criminal history).

Preferred Qualifications

• TAPEIT Basic Property Technician certification or equivalent (IAPE or TEEX, etc.) preferred.
• At least one (1) year of experience in a property and evidence unit or a related inventory control field preferred.

Other Information
Knowledge/ Skills / Abilities

• Working knowledge of evidence handling, inventory management, and abandoned property laws.
• Ability to interpret and apply the Texas Code of Criminal Procedures and relevant law enforcement manuals.
• Proficiency with computers and related software applications; ability to learn evidence tracking software.
• Must have excellent English written and verbal communication skills to include spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, and follow oral and written directives.
• Demonstrated commitment to teamwork, integrity, and customer service.
• Strong attention to detail and documentation accuracy to preserve the chain of custody.
• Strong interpersonal skills; able to work effectively with coworkers, citizens, and the public while maintaining professionalism and courtesy.
• Must maintain regular attendance and be available for on-call duty as required.

Physical Abilities
The physical abilities described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully.

• Frequent climbing, balancing, reaching, standing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and manual dexterity.
• Must be able to read, see, hear, talk, write, and sit for extended periods; must communicate clearly and effectively.
• May be required to move or lift items weighing up to 50 pounds with a dolly or other assistance.
• Work is performed in both office and outdoor environments, with exposure to noise, adverse weather, fumes, airborne particles, infectious materials, criminal suspects, and potentially hazardous or biohazardous substances.

* Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

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