Crime Scene​/Seized Property Specialist

Description

The primary objective of this position is to execute highly technical, specialized, and highly analytical work functions related to the collection, processing, receipt, storage, preservation, and safeguarding of seized property and evidence within the established Departmental policy framework and incompliance with applicable federal, state, and municipal laws and regulations. This position is responsible for crime scene examinations and ensuring the security and chain of custody integrity of all property taken into the Department’s custody, as well as managing the entire lifecycle of such assets from seizure to final disposition.

• Must be able to establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with co-workers and the public.
• Collect, preserve, process and handle evidence at major crime scenes, death scenes, and miscellaneous investigations.
• Perform latent fingerprint searches and submit fingerprint comparisons to make positive identification to determine identity.
• Document crime scenes through photography, accurate sketches, diagrams, and other methods.
• Utilize alternate light sources, chemical and physical processes, scientific methods and equipment for the detection and collection of evidence.
• Evaluate property and evidence for evidentiary value and conduct basic laboratory processing using various processes and techniques.
• Recover, package and preserve electronic devices and media for later examination by the digital forensic investigators.
• Receive, process, store, release and maintain security of a wide variety of property, evidence, and vehicles in accordance with Department policy and state and federal law.
• Maintain security of the evidence vault and restrict access to authorized personnel only.
• Review the property received for storage in the Department’s Evidence Vault to ensure it is properly packaged and all documentation is complete and accurate before accepting it for storage. Reject and return property that is out of compliance to the seizing officer for correction.
• Use the automated case management system (FLEX) to identify to account for all property taken into Department Custody through law enforcement operations.
• Plan, prepare for, and participate in property dispositions, including return, release, auction, and destruction.
• Prepare, plan, and organize auctions, including ordering appraisals, coordinating advertisements, and documenting the proceeds of sale in accordance with Department policy, city ordinance and state law.
• Consign property to be auctioned to the appointed contractor in compliance with established time frames set by Department policy, city ordinance and state law.
• Destroy property when appropriate by the efficient, effective, safe and environmentally sound methods.
• Maintain all records, including financial records.
• Maintain the highest standards for data entry to ensure the quality, reliability and integrity of the database.
• Prepare seized cash to be deposited into the seized currency bank account.
• Prepare Disbursement Requests for cash to be transferred out of the seized currency bank account.
• Provide necessary reconciliations from FLEX to the City Clerk, Director of Finance, and others as appropriate for monthly reconciliations of the Seized Currency Suspense Account.
• Conduct audits and reviews as directed in Departmental and city policies to ensure the integrity of the Evidence Vault, integrity of the information systems, and compliance with all applicable business practices, policies, procedures, regulation and laws.
• Facilitate and collaborate with other city departments, independent auditors, State Examiners of Public Accounts, and other relevant authorized parties as necessary who are exercising their respective oversight and review…