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<br /> <br />Policy & Procedure Page 1 of 18 <br /> <br />Lexington Police <br />Department <br />Subject: <br /> <br />Property and Evidence Control <br /> <br />Policy Number: <br /> 83B Accreditation Standards: <br />Reference: 84.1.1; 84.1.2; 84.1.3; 84.1.4; 84.1.5; 84.1.6 Effective Date: <br />3/11/13 <br /> New <br /> Revised <br /> <br />Revision <br />Dates: <br />1/24/19 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />By Order of: Mark J. Corr, Chief of Police <br /> The Municipal Police Institute, Inc. (MPI) is a private, nonprofit charitable affiliate of the <br />Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association. MPI provides training and model policies and <br />procedures for police agencies. This policy is an edited version of MPI Policy 6.02, “Property <br />and Evidence Control.” <br /> GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS AND GUIDELINES <br /> <br />Police Officers routinely come into the possession of property and evidence in the <br />course of their duties. Property types vary significantly and each type may require <br />specialized handling. It is important however to establish and maintain a system that <br />appropriately accounts for all property that comes into the possession of the Lexington <br />Police Department. <br /> <br />Items of property and evidence, held by police, are typically subject to strict legal <br />constraints. The proper handling of property and evidence is shared equally by every <br />member of the Lexington Police Department. All personnel must understand that an <br />effective and efficient system of evidence collection and control will help to avoid civil <br />and/or criminal charges against officers and the potential inability to successfully <br />prosecute criminal offenders. <br /> <br />The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance for the submission, custody, and <br />disposition of property, which is not the property of the police department. <br /> <br />It is the policy of the Lexington Police Department to: <br /> <br />• Effectively and efficiently manage and control all found, recovered and <br />evidentiary property and any other property coming into the custody of this <br />department; <br />• Properly and lawfully preserve, package, record, account for, handle and store <br />all property and evidence recovered or turned in to the department; <br />• Take the initiative to return property to its rightful owner or owners in the most <br />expedient manner;