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Newport News Police Department
3. Edged Weapons
Masking tape or cardboard will be placed over the edge and point of edged weapons. If the blade
needs to or may be processed for latent prints or DNA, the knife blade will not be covered, but a
provided plastic safety tube will be used. Folding knives will be folded, zip tied and placed in a regular
envelope.
4. Ammunition
a. Ammunition is stored removed from weapons in zip-lock plastic bags. If the ammunition is old,
seeping chemicals, or in any way unstable, contact an on-duty supervisor for a determination
concerning alternate ammunition handling.
NOTE: Casings should be packaged with one casing per envelope.
b. Bullets and/or casings submitted as evidence in cases with no weapon shall be submitted on a
separate RFLE Form from any other evidence requiring laboratory analysis associated with the
investigation.
5. Bio-Hazardous Substances
The recovering employee shall notify an on-duty field sergeant to decide on the items’ safe handling
and/or packaging. The employee will:
a. Make a notation concerning the nature of the item in the remarks section of the P&E sheet and
the packaging.
b. Affix bio-hazard labels to the packaging.
c. Self-sticking bio-hazard labels are available in the temporary evidence storage rooms at the P&E
facility and remote storage locations.
d. If the evidence is soaked in blood, the on-duty supervisor needs to contact the on-call Forensics
Unit contact to arrange a forensic technician to receive the items to be dried. Forensics will
facilitate submission to P&E when the items are ready for packaging.
6. Anonymous/Blind Reporting PERK Kits
a. The medical facility in an anonymous/blind reporting case is responsible for forwarding the
PERK kit to the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services of the Virginia Department of
General Services (VA Code §19.2-11.6).
b. The division will maintain the kits for a minimum of twenty-four months.
7. Chemical & Explosive Hazardous Materials
Chemical or explosive hazardous materials collected and retained as evidence will be secured in the Fire
Station #1 repository (Washington Avenue and 34th Street). Evidence collected to test for accelerant
presence shall be sealed in an airtight metal canister (available at P&E). If there are any questions or
concerns about the packaging and/or transport of the hazardous material, contact the P&E Unit or the
Fire Department.
8. Currency/Prepaid Access Devices (PADs)
a. Currency
1) Two officers will be present when counting the currency, with both body-worn cameras
activated. Both officers will conduct a count to verify the amount is accurate and initial the
evidence seal.
2) List currency as an itemized list of each denomination of bills.
3) Store currency separated by denomination with all bills facing the same direction.
4) Use a clear plastic money bag and record the imprinted bag number on the P&E sheet.
5) Complete Form-481 P&E Currency Inventory and place the sheet inside the money bag before
sealing it.
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