This page uses extracted PDF text. Text can misread numbers, dates or table columns. Check the PDF before quoting or interpreting it. Redacted areas remain redacted.
Newport News Police Department
d. P&E personnel will pick up precincts’ latent print envelopes from the precinct(s), logging the
collection. Collected envelopes will be placed in the P&E latent print box and logged there.
e. Forensics technicians/latent print examiners will sign out latent print envelopes picked up from
the headquarters latent print box. Pending analysis, the cards will be secured in the latent print
room of the Forensics Services Unit.
D. Narcotic Evidence [83.2.1; 83.2.4(d); 84.1.1(d)]
1. Weighing Drug Evidence
a. In incidents involving drug evidence, the measurement unit and drug quantity of the seizure must
be noted on the “property” page of the IBR. In the “Quantity” section of the IBR property page, the
officer will fill in the weight quantity of the drug seized. [82.2.1(a,b,c)]
b. Scales are available in the temporary P&E evidence storage rooms at the P&E facility and remote
storage locations and on the counter of the officer’s work area at the headquarters P&E facility.
Instructions for their use will be posted at each location.
c. These scales are not calibrated, and the weight recorded is considered an approximate
measurement of the amount of drugs seized.
NOTE: The weight listed on the lab analysis report returned from the State Laboratory will
usually be different.
d. Before weighing, drug evidence must be placed in a drug evidence bag. The bag’s weight (13.5
grams/large bag; 11.5 grams/medium bag) is subtracted from the total weight to obtain the
approximate evidence weight Drug weights should be rounded to the nearest gram.
NOTE: Approximate weight measurements are only for the property page of the initial IBR.
Do not use these measurements on the P&E sheet (NNPD Form #8), Request for
Laboratory Examination Form (RFLE) (State Form DFS-100-F100), or in the letter of
arrest.
2. Drug Evidence Packaging
All narcotics (including those for destruction) must be double bagged during packaging. The
narcotics are first placed in a plastic, sealable bag (i.e. a Ziploc bag) the sealed in a drug evidence bag
(except for items outlined in this policy’s Special Packaging Methods section). Employees recovering
narcotic evidence will adhere to the following:
a. The drug evidence bags come in two sizes (9 1/2 x 12and 15 x 20). Do not place drugs in the bags
for money evidence (3¾ x 7) for any reason.
b. Complete the required information on the drug evidence bag, including the recovering
employee’s initials.
c. Seal the bag after inserting the evidence. Additional tape is not required.
1) When packaging more than one evidence item, each should be packaged separately to avoid
cross-contamination. Label items on the lab sheet and the zip lock bag with the item number.
Plastic zip lock freezer bags provided by P&E are recommended to isolate separate items
within a drug evidence bag.
2) Tape the zip lock bags shut (If multiple tablets were found in one pocket, each tablet would
not be packaged separately. All items located together of the same substance may be
packaged together). All items must be listed on the P&E sheet (e.g., eight pills and five bags of
cocaine) with an exact count.
3) Items must be separated by lab and non-lab evidence in separate drug evidence bags.
d. After the drug evidence bag is filled and sealed (to include filling out the P&E sheet and Request
for Laboratory Examination), all items and forms will be placed into a 10 x 13 manila envelope.
Close the manila envelope by its clasp (do not seal with tape) and drop it into the drug mailbox.
OPS-485 - 5 of 14 – 11/17/2025Jump to an indexed page (14 of 14)