Property not held originally as evidence or no longer needed as evidence for which the owner is unknown, the owner cannot be contacted, or the owner does not wish to claim the property shall be disposed of by the Central Property custodian provided doing so does not violate the law or Department policy.
The Central Property custodian shall determine if the property has value and shall dispose of such property by auction, release to Sheriff’s Youth Foundation, release to the Department of Children and Family Services, release to Probation Department, or similar organizations, destroyed due to no value, etc., under the authority of Los Angeles County Code Section 2.34.100, Disposition of Abandoned Property.
Investigating officer and lieutenant or designee approval, when appropriate, is required prior to disposal of any property held as evidence. This approval is recorded in PRELIMS when the item’s STATUS is updated to READY TO DISPOSE.
The STATUS of property/evidence disposed in this manner shall be updated in PRELIMS to DISPOSED by the Central Property custodian.
Narcotic contraband, paraphernalia, and devices shall be transferred to Central Property custodian for disposition. Narcotics Bureau, in collaboration with the Central Property custodian, shall be responsible for final disposition of all narcotic contraband, paraphernalia, and devices. See section 5-04/180.80 Destruction of Narcotic Evidence.
Firearms not held originally as evidence or no longer needed as evidence for which the owner is unknown, the owner cannot be contacted, or the owner does not wish to claim the property shall be disposed of by the Central Property custodian provided doing so does not violate the law or Department policy. See section 5-04/180.80 Destruction of Firearms.