XLVII LE-020 – Collection, Preservation and Control of Evidence and Property

REPORTING REQUIREMENT

Annual, on a three-year cycle (General Warehouse, Drug Repository and Firearms Storage Vault).

LEGISLATION

Police Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.P.15, as amended, ss. 31(1)(c), 132-134.

Adequacy & Effectiveness of Police Services, O. Reg. 3/99, ss. 13(1)(n),14(1)(b).

It is the policy of the Toronto Police Services Board that:

The Chief of Police will ensure and report back on compliance by members of the Service with sections 132, 133 and 134 of the Police Services Act;
The Chief of Police will establish procedures, consistent with the advice from the Centre of Forensic Sciences and its current version of the Laboratory Guide for the Investigator, for the safe and secure collection, preservation, control, handling and packaging of evidence;
The Chief of Police will establish procedures for the secure collection, preservation and control of property;
The Chief of Police will ensure that internal control checks of the property/evidence held by the Service are conducted by a member(s) not routinely or directly connected with the property/evidence control function, and report the results to the Board; and
Where a member who has responsibility for a property/evidence storage area is transferred or replaced, the Chief of Police will ensure that internal controls are established to ensure the integrity of Property and Evidence Management Unit processes.