Evidence and Property Technician
City of Grand Forks
Grand Forks, ND, USA
Posted on Oct 14, 2025
Description
The City of Grand Forks is seeking a detail oriented, highly organized individual to serve as a Property and Evidence Technician for the Police Department. This position is responsible for assisting with the receipt, storage, documentation, and release of property and evidence for the Police department. Duties include maintaining chain of custody, ensuring proper packaging and documentation, responding to requests from law enforcement and the public, and assisting with the disposal of property in accordance with laws and policies. The ideal candidate will have a strong sense of integrity, excellent recordkeeping skills, and the ability to work independently while maintaining strict chain-of-custody procedures.
Examples of Duties
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Essential and Marginal Functions/ Responsibilities:
1. Retrieve, document and store evidentiary items from secure storage areas, ensuring packaging and accompanying documentation conform to acceptable methods, procedures and department policy. Assist with periodic audits and annual inventories of evidence.
2. Assist in maintaining the department’s digital library, including audio and video recordings, photographs, and other digital media.
3.Safeguard and maintain a chain of custody, inventory control and safeguard the security of all items of evidence from acceptance through release and/or disposal. Document evidence transfers and ensures proper shipping/transporting procedures. Assist with determining disposition of items of evidence and property according to judicial, statutory and departmental directives.
4. Assist with destruction, return, or auction of property in compliance with laws and department policy.
5. Process discovery requests from federal, state and city prosecutors to include providing all digital evidence maintained by the department and making physical items available for review. Provide testimony in court regarding evidence process and chain of custody when required.
6. Process open records requests to include locating requested items, reviewing items, and redacting items in accordance with federal and state laws and department policy.
7. Build and maintain positive and productive working relationships with the general public, various law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, courts and other professionals such as the State Crime Lab and outside laboratories.
8. Assist with maintaining accurate accounting of all impounded or seized motor vehicles and bicycles. Assist with department auctions of motor vehicles, bicycles and miscellaneous property.
9. Respond to crime scenes for documentation and maintain the chain of custody of evidence, as requested or required.
10. Provide credible testimony in the court of law.
11. Assist with the department’s digital door card access and camera security systems. Activate and deactivate access cards as required. Maintain building video recordings as required
12. Perform related duties and responsibilities as assigned.
13. Assist with training of departmental staff in evidence collection and submission procedures.
14. Assist sworn personnel at crime scenes with evidence collection or transport as directed.
15. Perform related duties and responsibilities as required. Typical Qualifications
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Knowledge: Proper methods and techniques of evidence handling retention, release and destruction; Chain of custody principles and documentation requirements; Modern office procedures, methods and equipment including computers; principles and procedures of record keeping; pertinent Federal, State and local codes, laws and regulations and departmental directives governing the collection, preservation, retention, release and/or destruction of physical and digital evidence. Follow appropriate safety procedures.
Skills: Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work; maintain mental capacity which allows the capability of making sound decisions and demonstrating intellectual capabilities; maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities; maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for making observations, communicating with others, reading, writing and operating assigned equipment.
Abilities: Perform a variety of functions in the procurement, confidentiality and retention of property and evidence; maintain security and chain of custody of evidence and found property; maintain and update accurate records and reports; respond to requests and inquiries from the general public; maintain mental capacity to process sensitive or graphic videos, audio recordings and photographs; maintain composure while dealing with hostile, intoxicated, or emotionally disturbed subjects; analyze problems, identify alternative solutions; prioritize workload as necessary in order to meet timelines; ability to multi-task; ability to work independently; operate and troubleshoot office equipment, computers and supporting software applications.
Supplemental Information
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Supervisory Controls:
None.
Guidelines:
Guidelines include federal, state, and municipal laws; ND open records guidelines; NCIC guidelines; CALEA requirements; agency directives; the Property and Evidence Packaging and Submission Manual; and city and department policies and procedures. These guidelines are generally clear and specific but may require some interpretation in application.
Complexity/Scope of Work:
The work consists of related evidence and property management duties. The volume and diverse scope of materials to assist with managing combined with changes to priorities and legal liabilities contributes to the complexity of the position.
The purpose of this position is to assist with the management of property and evidence. Success in this position ensures results in effective and efficient management, retention and appropriate disbursement of property and evidence critical to successful outcomes, both inside and outside the agency, as well as mitigation of organizational legal liability.
Contacts:
Contacts are typically with co-workers, other city employees, prosecuting and defense attorneys, other attorneys, court staff, representatives of other law enforcement agencies, probation officers, laboratory representatives, insurance agents, and members of the general public.
Contacts are typically to give or exchange information, to resolve problems, or to provide services.
Physical Demands/Work Environment:
Office and limited field environment; travel from site to site; exposure to computers; dust, noise, grease, body fluids, dangerous drugs, bio-hazardous materials and inclement weather conditions; frequent exposure to situations or materials likely to induce psychological or emotional stress, such as visually explicit photographs, audio, video, weaponry, crime scene evidence, etc. the cumulative effect of which is potentially damaging to the health and wellness of this position and assigned staff; Essential and marginal functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for walking, standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time; frequent heavy to moderate lifting and operation of motor vehicles.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
None.
Experience and Training Guidelines
Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
Experience:
One to two years of clerical, records, or inventory control experience, preferably in a law enforcement or legal environment.
Training:
Equivalent to a high school diploma or GED. Coursework or training in forensic science, criminal justice, records management, or evidence handling preferred.
License or Certificate:
Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid driver’s license.
Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate valid National Crime Information Center certificate.
Possession of, or ability to obtain, Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) secure access.
Certification from the International Association of Property and Evidence as a Property and Evidence Specialist is preferred.
