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Manual of Policy and Procedures / Volume 5 - Line Procedures / Chapter 4 - Property and Evidence Procedures

5-04/080.10 - Interim Removal, Transfer And/Or Release of Property and Evidence to Court


5-04/080.00 - Transfer of Property/Evidence
5-04/080.20 - Interim Removal of Property/Evidence for Investigative Purposes

Any interim removal, transfer, and/or release of property/evidence for court purposes shall be recorded in PRELIMS.

When a property/evidence items is to be taken to court, the items shall be transferred to the custody of a Department member.  This transfer shall be recorded in PRELIMS in the LASD Transfer/Court section and enter the name of the Department member taking custody of the item(s).  An Out to Court (SH-AD-583) form shall accompany any items taken to court.  The form shall be used to record the final disposition information on items retained by the court.  When a final disposition has been entered into PRELIMS for items retained by court, the Out to Court form shall also be scanned into PRELIMS for chain of custody purposes.  See section 5-04/030.00, Transportation of Evidence.

Transfer of property/evidence items from the Central Property custodian for the purpose of taking the items to court is only performed during normal working hours and should be completed in sufficient time to ensure availability on the designated court date. The Department member to whom the items is transferred is responsible for the safety and security of the property/evidence items.

The Out to Court (SH-AD-583) form is printed from PRELIMS upon the custody transfer of the items to the LASD Transfer/Court location and shall include the following pre-printed information:

  • Complete URN, including PRELIMS item number for each item;
  • Name of individual, including employee number, who has custody of the items;
  • Date items transferred to individual; and
  • Item type and description of property/evidence items;

To maintain the chain of custody, property/evidence items removed for court shall be picked up on the court date and an Out to Court (SH-AD-583) form printed and given to the individual retaining custody of the items.  When evidence is retained by the court, the deputy completing and returning the Out to Court (SH-AD-583) form shall obtain the verifying court seal and the signature of the court clerk and shall record on the form the court name, department or division, the court case number, and the date the items is being retained at court.

When the evidence is retained by the court, you must bring the completed Out-to-Court (SH-AD-583) form back to the station/unit property custodian at the station/unit received or the nearest station/unit property custodian.  If the Out-to-Court (SH-AD-583) is not returned, see section 5-04/080.20.

The station/unit property custodian must dispose of the evidence item(s) from PRELIMS reflecting the item was released to court.  The signed Out-to-Court (SH-AD-583) must be uploaded to PRELIMS.

When the evidence/property item(s) are not retained by the court, the items shall be returned to the station/unit property custodian or Central Property custodian the same day.