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SFPD suspends controlled‑substances work after audit finds weight discrepancies tied to one criminalist
Summary
SFPD officials announced an internal audit found weight discrepancies in powdered‑cocaine evidence linked to a single criminalist; that specialist was arrested in San Mateo County, has retired, and the department has temporarily shut down its controlled‑substances unit pending retesting and an external audit by outside labs and ASCLAD representatives.
San Francisco Police Department leaders told the Police Commission on March 10 that an internal audit of the crime lab identified weight discrepancies in a set of evidence envelopes for powdered cocaine connected to one criminalist. The department said the discrepancies prompted a criminal investigation, a search warrant and an arrest in San Mateo County on March 3; the employee has retired and is no longer an SFPD employee.
Assistant command staff and the chief’s representative said the allegations so far do not indicate fabrication of non‑narcotic evidence, but concern weight variances in powdered‑cocaine packaging tied to one criminalist. The…
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