4.6 Preservation of Evidence

Evidence is one of the most important items obtained from a search effort. Potential evidence might include: anything that matches descriptions of clothing, personal items, anything that appears "out of place," documents, tire tracks, shoe prints, fingerprints, blood and body fluids, hair, fibers, and other trace evidence. It is imperative that any evidence or crime scene be left undisturbed. Too many cases are lost by "chain of custody" and "preservation of evidence" errors. If possible photograph overall scene as found, but do not encroach upon the scene. It is better to make a false call for law enforcement than to miss or mis-handle evidence.

Take names, addresses, and phone numbers of all team members involved in the discovery of evidence for later debriefing.

If potential evidence is found, the procedure is:

• Do not touch, lift, or move the evidence in any way!
• Secure the site (including an area within a 75 yard radius) and restrict access.
• Positively mark the location of the evidence and the trail leading to the evidence with easy to see marking tape "flags" so it can be retrieved by law enforcement.
• Immediately notify the Recovery Center so they can notify law enforcement.
• If possible keep two individuals with the evidence until it is processed.
• Document the evidence with:
  • location (mark it on the search team map or draw a more detailed map)
  • detailed description of the evidence (every last detail)
  • photograph of the evidence and scene if possible
  • date and time found
  • name and contact information of person who found the evidence
• If bad weather exists try to cover the evidence being sure not to touch or put anything in direct contact. Clean plastic or cardboard will reduce contamination. This is for short term preservation.
• Suspend the search in the immediate area because preservation of the area around the evidence is very important for law enforcement's investigation. Keep animals away from the area.