Jason Kuchenmeister, Maplewood Police Department Property and Evidence Technician 

1). Full Name, Department you work for, How long at Department, Number of officers, official title.

Jason Kuchenmeister, Maplewood Police Department, 4 years in March, currently we have 52 officers, Property and Evidence Technician

2). Who is in the evidence department with you?

Just me, myself and I

2). What is your involvement with MAPET?

I currently serve as the Vice-President for MAPET

3). What are some of your favorite evidence technician/property room manager tasks?

Any time I can get out of the office and run some errands is fun.  I like going down to the BCA and submitting evidence.

4). What is the most unique/weird item currently in your Property room?

The most interesting item I have in the property room is a mannequin without its head.  Scared the hell out of me, as it is on the top shelf and I didn’t notice it when I was going up the ladder to inventory that shelf for the first time.

5). What is currently your biggest challenge?

Right now my biggest challenge is keeping up with evidence review/disposal.  With all of the “other duties as assigned” it’s hard to keep up with getting rid of items.

6). Recent victory in your property room?

We recently purchased two shipping containers to serve as our large item storage.  This will house items like car jacks, catalytic convertors, bicycles and other large items that are not temperature sensitive.  This should free up some space in my evidence room.

7). What advice would you give to new techs in the field?

Document, document, document.  You are never going to remember everytime you moved/released/disposed of an item, so keep notes or type a narrative.  You can never have too many reminders of why you did something.

If anyone is interested in a firearm pick up / destruction - Gun Busters is coming May 9-10, 2023.

Please email Rick Borgmeyer (rick@gunbustersusa.com) to get on his schedule.

If anyone is interested in a firearm pick up / destruction - Gun Busters is coming May 17-18, 2023.

Please email Rick Borgmeyer (rick@gunbustersusa.com) to get on his schedule.

1). Full Name, Department you work for, How long at Department, Number of officers, official title. Vern R. Wittenberg,  Chief Deputy for Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office, 6+ years at this Agency

 

2). Who is in the evidence department with you?

Just Me

 

2). What is your involvement with MAPET?

So far, I just joined.

 

3). What are some of your favorite evidence technician/property room manager tasks?

I am just getting going with revamping the intake system and labeling system. I don’t really have a favorite thing yet.  

 

4). What is the most unique/weird item currently in your Property room?

A victim’s bicycle from a hit and run from the early 1980’s that was likely committed by the then Sheriff’s son.

 

5). What is currently your biggest challenge?

The amount of property in the room that needs to be gone through.

 

6). Recent victory in your property room?

Barcode / Labeling system up and running

7). What advice would you give to new techs in the field?

Go to an evidence tech training, otherwise none at this time, I’m not very familiar with it myself. 

The Minneapolis Police Department is hiring for the position of Evidence Technician! The posting closes on Sunday, March 19^th – this Sunday. If you know someone who might be interested, please let them know right away! We have two positions open and hope to find great people to work with our team! Below is the link and a screenshot of what they should look for:

https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/jobs/job-openings/apply-for-a-job/

1). Full Name, Department you work for, How long at Department, Number of officers, official title.

Kelli Jo Gauthier, Waite Park Police Department, 2 ½ years, 21 Officers, Records & Evidence Tech

2). Who is in the evidence department with you?

Mainly, it’s just me. The evidence supervisor is Sgt Rebecca Grosz.

3). What is your involvement with MAPET?

I am an annual member and recently volunteered to help with the upcoming first annual conference.

4). What are some of your favorite evidence technician/property room manager tasks?

Purging!!!

5). What is the most unique/weird item currently in your property room?

A prosthetic leg. Surprisingly, the owner has not been in a hurry to come in and pick it up.

6). What is currently your biggest challenge?

Consistency about retention policies.

7). Recent victory in your property room?

When I started, I was tasked with a complete overhaul/inventory of an evidence room that had been neglected for over 20 years. I had to touch every piece of evidence, review it for purging, and also rearranged and reorganized the entire room. In addition, I implemented a new database (PMI), so I had to transfer all items into the new system. The entire project took about a year to complete, but now it is so much easier to find things and navigate purging.

8). What advice would you give to new techs in the field?

Get Supervisor or Attorney approval before purging important items (CYA) and keep your organization simple and consistent.

Blaine PD is currently hiring for a Records Technician.  The position will close 02/24/23 at 4:30pm.  Click on the link below to find out more info or apply.

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/blaine/jobs/3919528/records-technician

Thanks to Jennifer (Duluth PD) for sharing the Fentanyl stickers from the BCA. This will help with consistency for the labs, too! You can find them on the shared google drive - Forms

Or click the link!

Fentanyl stickers

Information/Application

Anoka County Sheriff's Office is Hiring for a Full Time Property and Evidence Tech

To Whom It May Concern,

The BCA DWI Urine Kits were recently updated so the kits would be sealed at the factory. Language on the seals indicates they are only to be broken by BCA Personnel. This language can be ignored. The kits are fit for use. The seals can be broken for collection by the agency/medical professional. This language was mistakenly retained with the order of those kits. We apologize for any inconvenience and if you have questions, please contact the BCA Evidence Intake Section at 651-793-2900. This issue will be resolved in future kit orders over the coming months. Please remember that the kits are to be sealed with the red evidence tape included in the kit.