Evidence Technician – Temporary

The City of Salinas is accepting applications for Temporary Evidence Technician. Temporary positions are non-benefited positions and employees are limited to working a maximum of 25 hours per week and must not exceed 1,000 hours per fiscal year.

Note:

Any prospective candidate will need to pass a thorough background investigation before being hired by the Salinas Police Department. This recruitment may close at anytime.

Operates the Police Department’s evidence and property system to receive, record, store, safeguard, release and disburse evidence and found or abandoned property; maintains separate evidence and property areas.

Distinguishing Characteristics:
This is the entry-level class of the Evidence Technician series. It is distinguished from the Senior Property/Evidence Technician in that positions in this class perform less than the full range of duties assigned to the Senior Property/Evidence Technician and work under immediate supervision while learning job tasks, progressing to general supervision as procedures and processes of assigned area of responsibility are learned.

Supervision Received and Exercised:
Receives direct supervision from the Property/Evidence Supervisor. May occasionally receive general direction from sworn or non-sworn management employee. May serve as a lead of temporary staff in the absence of supervisor.

• Receives, records, examines, codes, prepares, and stores various types of personal property recovered, found or turned in as evidence.
• Keeps accurate records of stored property and evidence to assure security and retrieval capability for court purposes and for audit.
• Arranges for storage of large items and organizes the orderly layout of the property storage rooms.
• Maintains confidential files and records regarding property in custody and its disposition; releases property to be used in evidence or to be returned to owners.
• Interacts and communicates with the public via telephone, email and in person to facilitate the return of property.
• Forwards or hand delivers evidence to various laboratories or experts for appropriate analysis.
• Maintains chain of custody records of evidential property and testifies in court.
• Coordinates and prepares usable unclaimed property for auction as pursuant to State Penal Code provisions.
• Purges property pursuant to prescribed methods on a regular basis.
• Keeps current records on the location and movement of property within the department, in court or to other locations as necessary.
• Confers with sworn personnel, City Attorney’s office, investigators, District Attorney’s office, court and other law enforcement agencies on matters concerning property.
• Stores, packages, catalogs and destroys narcotics pursuant to prescribed methods.
• Destroys illegal and nuisance weapons.
• Transports illicit materials, firearms, chemicals and valueless items for disposal or destruction.
• Following chain of custody, retrieves, returns or transports property, equipment and supplies.
• Types, enters and verifies the variety of property and evidence data on a computer; prepares related reports.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Basic recordkeeping and filing systems
• Basic techniques for effectively maintaining a warehouse environment
• Basic techniques and practices of chain of custody rules used in law enforcement property and evidence processing, storage, and disposition is desirable
• Principles and practices of work safety
• Safety practices related to lifting and handling of evidence and property
• Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.

• Maintain exact records and organize accurate recordkeeping systems.
• Interpret and understand Penal and Health & Safety codes.
• Store evidential property without loss or damage.
• Learn and apply laws and regulations governing preservation of evidence.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, orally and in writing.
• Type and enter data on a computer.
• Process numerical and alphabetical data with high degree of accuracy.
• Maintain confidentiality about information accessed in…