Evidence points to evidence mismanagement

June 12, 2012

It costs county taxpayers nearly $700,000 annually to underwrite the maintenance of property and evidence rooms for county law enforcement agencies, yet those functions — vital to the administration of justice — are in chaos in many county agencies.

That’s one finding of the 2001-20012 San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury, which issued its annual report late last week featuring an analysis of evidence room mismanagement in county agencies.

Although deficiencies were noted by the Grand Jury in numerous agencies, its findings also noted that District Attorney Gerald Shea’s office does not even have formal, written property and evidence retention policies.

Also noteworthy was Paso Robles Police Department officials’ inability to account for evidence items purged by an ongoing data entry error. That department has eliminated a staff position responsible for handling and accounting for evidence and property due to budget reductions, making it the only agency on the county without such personnel.

Paso Robles police officials also do not “store guns, money and drugs in a neat and orderly manner.” That department was not alone in that failing, but according to a Grand Jury recommendation, “The Paso Robles Police Department should consider using the services of POST (California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training) or an independent consulting service to conduct a full review of its property/evidence room function.”


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Very interesting. Police business can be very complex, mysterious, and suspicious. Take a look on what has been going on in Utah:


Springdale, Utah Police Stop Cash-for-tickets Practice


http://www.infowars.com/springdale-utah-police-stop-cash-for-tickets-practice/


I wonder if getting their evidence room in order and getting their police officers on the streets will be one of the city’s problems addressed by part of the conveniently “new-found” budget surplus found by the Paso Robles city manager, James App?


(http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2012/06/06/2094780/paso-robles-revenue-funding.html#storylink=misearch)


In goverment? No way cant happen!


Grand jury did a nice job… but they need to offer next steps. Where should this go from here… consolidation?


The Cheshire Cat of CCN makes his one-note-Charlie post..


Are you sending code messages to Fifth Columnists ?

Oh…maybe you’re timed to post at a specific moment like an alarm clock .


The media publications are just the messenger.


If you don’t like reading about these continuing debacles, then go to the source of the problem: the failures of the city and county, and their employees, council members and directors, administrative staff, and others who have failed in their job performance.


The subject of my comment went WAY over your head.


slowerfaster, you’re just a contradiction.


sold out


Maybe that’s why Lisa Solomon didn’t report her gun stolen right away…she thought, “Oh, what the heII, I probably just threw it on a shelf in the evidence room.”


I would have gone 1 step further. Since Paso Robles has this ex-police chief who (according to the city council and Mr. App) has impecable credentials in law inforcement, just hire Miss Chitty to get the evidence room in order. She obviously knows how to keep track of guns (!)..


According to Jim App’s Fall 2011-2015 General and Enterprise Fund Financial Forecast/Budget Update & Adoption (page 9), http://www.prcity.com/government/citycouncil/agenda-items/2012/01_January/2012-01-17_CC_ITM_09.pdf , the General Fund has a $10 million reserve in 11-12. Our roads are falling apart and our police department is understaffed. Now we get slammed by the Grand Jury for our evidence room being a shambles, with no staff position assigned. I can’t imagine that this is good for any prosecution involving the city. Jim, when is the pain going to stop?


The pain will only stop when we get some councilmen with backbones who will fire App and replace him with a competent, humble, efficient, and ACCOUNTABLE city manager.


App has already cost city taxpayers hundreds of thousands of bucks because of his mismanagement.

The Lake Naci mess, Chittygate, looming lawsuits… it all points back to the overpaid puppetmaster at the top of the pyramid–and that’s Jim App.


BTW, I know you read these comments, Mr. App so for once, do the right thing for Roblans and step down.


Narcissists can’t see where they have done wrong, thus will not step down. Therefore it will fall upon the city council. Please let a competent one be seated this fall.


On behalf of Ted Slanders: “PRAISE JEZUS!”