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Council presses police on evidence‑room operations, considers third‑party audit and generator
Summary
Councilmembers raised concerns about the integrity and logistics of the city’s new police evidence building, questioned whether a third‑party audit and a generator should be budgeted, and heard the chief describe phased moves and past incidents including a $437.50 locksmith repair after an access problem.
Council members spent a substantial portion of the March 17 meeting asking the police department about the status of a new evidence building and options to ensure chain‑of‑custody and long‑term operational reliability.
The Police Chief described a careful, phased move of thousands of items from the old evidence rooms to a new facility, said the department has been doing an internal audit and categorization of evidence, and noted that a January lock/key problem required temporarily moving items out and back in (he cited a $437.50 locksmith charge). The chief also said the building does not currently have a dedicated generator, which could be a concern for temperature‑sensitive evidence and HVAC reliability.
Councilwoman Rachel Hall and others asked whether the city should hire a third‑party firm to conduct or assist with the audit and physical move, and whether that third party could speed the transfer while allowing sworn officers to focus on policing. The chief said he has asked staff to price vendors and that some cities bring in an external auditor or specialized mover but cautioned that vendors must be trained and would carry cost implications; he said the department is moving items internally for now and will provide cost estimates for any external help.
Council directed staff to consider generator needs and to evaluate third‑party audit or vendor costs when preparing the next budget cycle. No formal policy or procurement decision was made at this meeting.
