Like all government agencies, police departments are bound by their budgets. Every year, finding the best way to distribute funds between the divisions and units can be difficult.
Because of this, departments are always looking for ways to save, so they can have the funds they need for the things that matter most.
One area of opportunity that many departments often overlook is their evidence management system, since they assume that relying on their old paper-based system is the cheapest route. Today we’ll take a look at how traditional paper-based evidence tracking works, what the true cost is for your department, and how a modern evidence management system can help save you money.
The Disadvantages of Traditional Paper-Based Evidence Tracking
The traditional process of tracking evidence is very manual and involves using a lot of paper. Each piece of evidence found at a crime scene gets tagged with identifying information, and placed in a bag or package. Then an evidence log and chain of custody form gets attached to the evidence package. Each time a piece of evidence is checked in or out from the P&E room, another entry is added to the chain of custody form, with signature and date. To keep track of evidence that is leaving the P&E room, an additional property sign-out sheet can be completed as well. Any time Property Custodians need to conduct inventory, they must do so by checking off with lists on clipboards. Not only does this traditional method of tracking evidence generate a lot of paper and waste a lot of time, it also doesn’t give Property Custodians any oversight on the condition, location, and status of all of the evidence they are responsible for.
How Evidence Tracking Software Saves You Money
Moving to a software-based evidence tracking system might seem daunting at first, but making the change will quickly start saving your department money in many ways:
1. Cut Back on Paper Supplies and Equipment
Ballpark estimates say that the average office employee uses around 10,000 sheets of paper per year. That’s 2.5 boxes of paper, and at a cost of around $30 per box, that’s only about $75 per person per year. However, that’s just for paper. When you also factor in ink/toner, the cost of the printer, and power consumption, that’s when things really start to add up. In fact, for many small- to medium-sized police departments, paper supply and equipment costs can range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.
With a software-based evidence tracking system, the need to print many of those documents can be easily eliminated. Evidence logs can be exported and emailed for needed information, and audits can be conducted entirely without paper. You’ll still want to print some documents, such as property receipts when checking out evidence, so you can obtain a signature—however your overall paper use for evidence tracking will be greatly reduced.
2. Improve Efficiency in All Aspects of Managing Evidence
As we all know—in business, time is money. The more time your officers spend on the various processes of managing evidence, the more it will cost your department. Here are the ways that evidence tracking software can save time for your team:
• Decrease Time Spent Trying to Decipher Illegible Handwriting
With traditional paper-based evidence tracking, forms are filled out by hand. Even when people use their best penmanship, it can still be hard to make out. Eliminate that time and frustration with an evidence tracking software that displays neatly typed information that’s easy for your team to work with.
• Decrease Time Spent Searching for Misplaced Items
Those handwritten forms of traditional paper-based evidence tracking also contributes to a lot of mistakes, and items might get placed on the wrong shelf due to misreading the label. Then your officers spend extra time trying to locate them. Reduce these types of errors with neatly printed labels for both evidence and shelves.
• Decrease Time Spent on Inventory
Could you imagine inventory not being a chore? With software evidence tracking, it’s possible. Simply click to select that you want to run an audit, select the type of audit you want to run, and then you’re off to the races. Quickly scan the bin or shelf label and then the corresponding items and then you’re done. No more reading off ID numbers and checking off items on a clipboard, which is slow and inaccurate.
3. Hire Staff Where You Need It
With your property and evidence room sailing along at maximum efficiency, your current team should be able to handle the workload and you won’t have to hire additional staff to manage it. This can translate to an overall savings in staff for your department, or an opportunity to be able to hire staff in divisions and units that need it more.
Go with a Robust Evidence Tracking System
While moving to a software evidence tracking system will be a big move for your department, the shift will be well worth it. With the right evidence management system, you be able to make your processes more efficient and save money. A robust software system will enable you to keep track of all pieces of evidence without any of the drawbacks of traditional paper-based tracking.
Evidence Tracking with PMI Evidence Tracker™
Ready to shift to an efficient evidence tracking system? You can’t go wrong with PMI Evidence Tracker™, a powerful evidence management tool designed by Cops for Cops. Get in touch with us today to get started.
