Property or evidence with a HOLD STATUS is stored by the Central Property custodian after transfer of the items from the station/unit. When the investigating agency is other than Homicide Bureau, Special Victims Bureau, or Civil Litigation, an electronic action item generated in PRELIMS requesting a retention review will be sent to the investigating officer and alternate investigating officer of record in PRELIMS initially ten months from the items’ booking date in PRELIMS and every six months thereafter if retention is continued (HOLD STATUS remains unchanged) until the item is disposed of.
When Homicide Bureau, Special Victims Bureau, or Civil Litigation is specified as the investigating agency in PRELIMS, the notification requesting a disposition update will be sent initially 28 months from the items’ booking date in PRELIMS and every two years thereafter if retention is continued (HOLD STATUS remains unchanged) until the item is disposed of.
If there is no investigating officer assigned to the case or if the name of the investigating officer or alternate is not entered into PRELIMS, the detective bureau (DB) lieutenant of the investigating agency will receive the action item and will be responsible for ensuring that the retention review is conducted.
If no action is taken by the investigator within 30 days of the electronic retention review action item (clearance lists) being sent, station/unit command staff will be notified via an electronic action item in PRELIMS, requesting the retention review be completed so that property/evidence can be disposed of and removed from the Department’s custody as rapidly as possible.
For all items with a HOLD STATUS for which continued retention is requested (HOLD STATUS remains unchanged) by the investigating officer or alternate investigating officer, concurrence of the property lieutenant or designee shall be obtained in PRELIMS; i.e., a second approval must be obtained.
For all items with a HOLD STATUS and booked with a felony charge for which disposal is requested (HOLD STATUS changed to READY TO DISPOSE or READY TO RETURN TO OWNER STATUS) by the investigating officer or alternate investigating officer, concurrence of the property/DB lieutenant or designee shall be required in PRELIMS for firearms, narcotics (including cannabis), keepsakes/collectibles, and currency and/or if the item was seized for the purposes of DNA identity. This lieutenant or designee level approval is required to ensure compliance with Penal Code sections 1405 and 1417 (Post Conviction laws).