Job Details

Property and Evidence Technician

Position Number: 9813960
Location: Salt Lake City, United States
Position Type: Campus Safety and Police

Property and Evidence Technician

Job Summary

The Property and Evidence Technician is responsible for the secure, accurate, and lawful management of property, evidence, found property, and items held for safekeeping by the University of Utah Department of Public Safety. This position receives, processes, documents, stores, transfers, releases, and disposes of property and evidence in accordance with Department policy, University requirements, applicable laws, and established chain-of-custody standards. Responsibilities include maintaining accurate records in the Department's Records Management System, ensuring proper packaging and labeling, maintaining secure storage and access controls, processing specialized evidence such as firearms, narcotics, biological materials, hazardous items, and digital devices, and coordinating evidence transfers with laboratories, courts, and other authorized agencies.

The Property and Evidence Technician serves as a key resource to officers, investigators, supervisors, prosecutors, courts, partner agencies, and members of the public regarding property and evidence procedures. The position conducts inventories, audits, and accountability reviews; monitors case dispositions and property eligible for release or final disposition; identifies and addresses discrepancies or chain-of-custody concerns; and assists with the lawful release, destruction, disposal, or other disposition of property and evidence. The position requires a high level of accuracy, organization, confidentiality, integrity, and attention to detail, as well as the ability to safely handle potentially hazardous or sensitive materials and maintain the security and evidentiary integrity of all property entrusted to the Department. The position also supports continuous improvement of evidence-control practices and maintains current knowledge of applicable laws, regulations, policies, professional standards and accreditation requirements.

Responsibilities
Property and Evidence Management:
- Receive, identify, classify, document, and maintain custody of evidence, property, found property, and items held for safekeeping in accordance with Department policy and applicable law.
- Accurately enter and maintain property and evidence records in the Department's Records Management System (RMS), including property numbers, descriptions, locations, custody transactions, and disposition information.
- Maintain accurate and complete chain-of-custody documentation for all property and evidence from receipt through final disposition.
- Inspect submitted property and evidence for proper packaging, labeling, documentation, and compliance with Department requirements.
- Securely store evidence and property in designated storage areas to prevent theft, loss, damage, contamination, unauthorized access, or compromise of evidentiary integrity.
- Maintain an organized evidence and property storage system that allows items to be located and retrieved in a timely manner.
- Maintain separate and secure storage areas for evidence, found property, safekeeping property, and items awaiting disposition.
- Maintain appropriate security and access controls for evidence storage areas and ensure required access logs are completed.

Evidence Intake and Processing:
- Collect property and evidence from designated evidence lockers and processing areas in accordance with established schedules and procedures.
- Review evidence submissions for completeness and compliance and coordinate with officers and supervisors to correct improperly submitted items.
- Process and package property and evidence according to the nature of the item, including firearms, narcotics, biological evidence, bodily-fluid-contaminated items, hazardous materials, ammunition, digital devices, and other specialized evidence.
- Ensure evidence requiring drying or special handling is appropriately secured, documented, and processed to prevent contamination or degradation.
- Maintain required documentation and records associated with evidence drying cabinets, including placement, removal, cleaning, disinfection, and filter inspections and replacement.
- Properly identify and manage biohazardous or potentially hazardous evidence using required personal protective equipment and established safety procedures.

Chain of Custody and Property Control:
- Maintain continuous accountability for all property and evidence received, transferred, released, returned, or otherwise handled by the Evidence Unit.
- Document each transfer of custody in the RMS and ensure the identity of the person receiving or releasing property is accurately recorded.
- Process temporary releases of property and evidence for investigative purposes, court proceedings, laboratory analysis, or other authorized purposes.
- Coordinate the return of property and evidence to the Evidence Unit following court proceedings, laboratory analysis, or investigative use.
- Monitor evidence locations and reconcile discrepancies identified through routine accounting, audits, inventories, or inspections.
- Conduct follow-up inquiries when property or evidence cannot be located and document all efforts to locate missing items.

Property Release and Disposition:
- Determine eligibility for release of property and evidence in accordance with Department policy, applicable law, court orders, and authorized disposition instructions.
- Notify owners and other legally entitled persons when property or evidence is eligible for release.
- Verify identification, ownership, and legal eligibility prior to releasing property, firearms, or other controlled items.
- Process and document the release of found property, safekeeping property, evidence, firearms, and other property in accordance with applicable requirements.
- Monitor case dispositions and identify property and evidence eligible for continued retention, release, destruction, disposal, or other authorized disposition.
- Coordinate the lawful disposal of unclaimed, surplus, confiscated, or otherwise eligible property.
- Coordinate special disposition procedures for narcotics, firearms, hazardous materials, weapons, biological evidence, and other property requiring specialized handling.
- Prepare and maintain documentation associated with property destruction and disposal.

Firearms and Controlled Property:
- Maintain secure custody and control of firearms and ammunition received by the Department.
- Process firearms for release only after required identification, documentation, and legal eligibility requirements have been satisfied.
- Coordinate required firearm eligibility checks prior to the release of seized firearms.
- Manage firearms accepted under the Utah Firearms Safe Harbor Act in accordance with applicable statutory requirements and Department policy.
- Maintain required documentation and retention periods for firearms accepted for safekeeping and coordinate their lawful return or disposition.
- Maintain secure custody, control, and disposition of narcotics, dangerous drugs, and related paraphernalia received by the Department.

Laboratory and External Agency Coordination:
- Coordinate the transfer and return of evidence to the Utah State Crime Laboratory, toxicology laboratories, Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, and other authorized laboratories or agencies.
- Ensure evidence transferred for laboratory examination is properly documented and that chain-of-custody records are maintained.
- Coordinate with local, county, state, federal, and other law enforcement agencies regarding property and evidence matters.
- Maintain documentation associated with laboratory transfers, returns, examinations, and final disposition.

Records, Audits, and Compliance:
- Maintain accurate, timely, and complete records relating to the receipt, storage, transfer, release, retention, destruction, and disposition of property and evidence.
- Monitor case dispositions and evidence status to ensure property is appropriately maintained or processed for final disposition.
- Assist with and participate in required evidence inventories, audits, inspections, and accountability reviews.
- Identify discrepancies, procedural deficiencies, or potential chain-of-custody issues and promptly notify appropriate supervisory personnel.
- Assist with investigations into missing or unaccounted-for property and evidence and document corrective actions and recommendations.
- Maintain current knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local laws, Department policies, and procedures governing property and evidence.
Recommend improvements to policies, procedures, workflows, storage practices, and evidence-control processes when appropriate.
Maintain clean, orderly, secure, and properly controlled evidence and property storage and processing facilities.

Customer Service and Departmental Support:
- Provide professional and responsive service to officers, detectives, supervisors, prosecutors, courts, other agencies, property owners, and members of the public regarding property and evidence matters.
- Assist Department personnel with evidence submission, retrieval, transfer, release, and disposition procedures.
- Provide guidance to Department personnel regarding proper evidence packaging, labeling, documentation, storage, and chain-of-custody requirements.
- Coordinate with investigators and other Department personnel to ensure evidence is available when needed for investigations, court proceedings, or authorized examination.
- Protect confidential, sensitive, and law-enforcement information encountered in the performance of assigned duties.

Safety and Security:
-Follow established safety procedures when handling biological materials, narcotics, firearms, sharps, hazardous materials, and other potentially dangerous property.
- Properly use required personal protective equipment when handling or processing hazardous or contaminated evidence.
- Maintain strict security of evidence storage areas and immediately report unauthorized access, security concerns, damaged property, contamination, loss, or other irregularities.
- Ensure evidence and property are never stored in unauthorized locations or in a manner that could compromise security or chain of custody.

Policy and Professional Responsibilities:
- Perform all assigned duties in compliance with University of Utah policies, Department of Public Safety policies, applicable laws, regulations, and established procedures.
- Maintain professional integrity and impartiality in the handling, control, release, and disposition of property and evidence.
- Maintain confidentiality of investigative, evidentiary, personal, and law-enforcement information.
- Participate in training and continuing education necessary to maintain proficiency in property and evidence management.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications
High school diploma or GED and four (4) years of experience with a police agency with duties closely related to those described above, or equivalent combination of education/ experience or equivalency (one year of education can be substituted for two years of related work experience).

Special Requirements:
Valid Utah Drivers License.
Ability to pass a rigorous background check
Take and pass a drug test

Necessary Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Basic computer skills
Ability to work well with co-workers, officers, outside agencies and the general public; ability to communicate both verbally and in writing.

Preferences
An associate or bachelor's degree in forensic science, Criminal Justice, Biology, Chemistry, or another closely related natural science or criminal justice discipline.

Education in evidence management, forensic processing, crime scene investigation, or a related field is highly desirable.

Special Instructions

Requisition Number: PRN46172B
Full Time or Part Time? Full Time
Work Schedule Summary: Generally Monday -- Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm.
Department: 00471 - Public Safety
Location: Campus
Pay Rate Range: 15.19 - 31.85
Close Date: 12/03/2026
Open Until Filled:

To apply, visit <a href=""https://apptrkr.com/9813960"">https://utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/209054