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Success Stories

Police destroy 100+ guns in Petersburg: ‘This may be a small step’


"When people start turning in firearms at the request of the police, they don't want them anymore or we're getting illegal firearms through tips, information being provided by the public," Miller said. April 6, 2018 PETERSBURG, Va. -- More than 100 guns that were taken off of the streets of Petersburg were destroyed by the order of the police chief...

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Former GPD detective is indicted on three charges, arrested


Bayer allegedly removed opiates from the GPD. He would not say if these were taken from the department's evidence locker. April  A former Georgetown Police detective has been indicted on three charges that led to his resignation from the department in mid-March, GPD Assistant Chief Robert Swanigan said Thursday.Chris Bayer was arrested Thursda...

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WBRC Exclusive: New details on arrest of Birmingham police officer

A shopper at the Summit store found the rings and gave them to store employees, who held onto them for a couple of weeks, hoping the rightful owner would return to the store to get them. But when they didn't, the store called Birmingham police to come get the rings and that's where our source says Birmingham Police Officer Tony Williams got involve...

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After Drug Thefts – Crime Lab Improves Policies to Protect Cases

Thrush allegedly saved leftover portions of the drug evidence and later ingested them. Larson said Thrush was properly vetted for his position as chemist for the crime lab. FEBRUARY 23, 2018 On February 23, KGVO reported that Derek Thrush, a former chemist at the Montana State Crime Lab in Missoula, had allegedly stolen samples of methamphetamine f...

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Former Johnstown police officer sentenced to house arrest for overdose-related charges

Slisz was accused of obtaining an envelope containing 48 suspected stamp bags of heroin and six pills from a temporary evidence locker, where drugs were stored before being transferred by an evidence custodian to a secure evidence room at a later time, as outlined by the department's procedure. Enter Article DATE HERE EBENSBURG – Former Johnst...

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North Carolina man arrested after decades-old rape kit tested

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said at a news conference Wednesday that 56-year-old Warren Lee Caldwell was arrested March 1 and jailed in connection with the rape of an 18-year-old in 1990 and of a 17-year-old in 1994. March 7, 2018 RALEIGH, N.C. — Police in North Carolina's largest city have accused a man of two rapes of teenagers dating back more ...

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Audit shows North Carolina has 15K untested sexual assault kits

A new state law required all law enforcement agencies to report their numbers of untested rape kits to the State Crime Lab earlier this year, and 92 percent of the 563 agencies responded. March 1, 2018 RALEIGH — North Carolina has more than 15,000 untested sexual assault kits, a backlog that national advocacy group described as "significant." Attor...

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Former Kane County deputy sentenced to 30 days in jail for drug crimes

Zinke was charged in April 2015 after an Illinois State Police investigation into allegations she kept medications that were meant to be delivered to her department's evidence vault. March 1, 2018 A 40-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a drug crime she committed while working as a Kane County sheriff's deputy cried Thursday after a Lake County j...

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1787 Hits

Key evidence missing in 2008 shovel beating case

According to court documents filed this month, Hansen's defense team argues crucial evidence from the attack has been destroyed by the Albuquerque Police Department, February 26, 2018 ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- He's accused of savagely beating a teenage girl within an inch of her life. The victim is still recovering from the attack. Justin Hansen was arr...

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Billings Police evidence tech fired after stealing oxycodone, which affected at least 138 cases

It is the second time in roughly three years drug cases have been affected by BPD evidence technicians stealing drugs. Enter Article DATE HERE A Billings Police Department employee was fired earlier this month after stealing prescription painkillers from the evidence locker, police said Tuesday. The revelation throws into question hundreds of ...

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2075 Hits

Man at center of alleged Selma gun mill pleads guilty

Adrianne Canterbury, who goes by Michelle, was accused of taking guns and jewelry out of the Selma Police Department evidence vault, the secure area where she worked. Richard Canterbury would then fix the guns so they could then be sold online. February 18, 2018 SELMA, AL (WSFA) - Richard Canterbury, one of three people accused of taking part in an...

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1733 Hits

Record payout approved for Simi Valley man wrongfully convicted of grisly 1978 murders (DNA)

Nearly 40 years later, the 70-year-old man has a slew of powerful voices behind him as he fights to correct the injustice of having spent more than half of his life in prison for a grisly double murder he didn't commit. Feb 15, 2018 For years, from inside a cell at Folsom State Prison, Craig Coley couldn't get anyone to listen. But his message was ...

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Former Anne Arundel police lab tech gets 6 months in prison for stealing drugs from department

Pleaded guilty to stealing prescription drugs from drop boxes at district stations for more than two years. February 13, 2018 A former manager of the Anne Arundel police crime lab was sentenced to six months in prison Tuesday after she'd pleaded guilty to stealing prescription drugs from drop boxes at district stations for more than two years. Tues...

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Man Sues Chicago, Police for Wrongful Conviction

A man who spent nearly a quarter century in prison after being convicted of rape and murder before DNA testing prompted authorities to drop the charges has filed a lawsuit that alleges he was coerced by Chicago police detectives into confessing. Enter Article DATE HERE A man who spent nearly a quarter of century in prison after being convicted...

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Proposed Bill Would Create Database for Sexual Assault Kits

Currently, Missouri has no way of keeping track of processed sexual assault collection kits. A proposed bill hopes to fix that February 12, 2018 Currently, Missouri has no way of keeping track of processed sexual assault collection kits. A proposed bill hopes to fix that. During a hearing Monday afternoon, members of the public spoke in favor of a ...

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1634 Hits

Wisconsin Sexual Assault Kit Tests Lead to 20 DNA Hits

The state Department of Justice's efforts to analyze thousands of untested sexual assault kits generated nearly two dozen DNA hits during the last half of 2017. February 9, 2018 MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel's efforts to analyze thousands of untested sexual assault kits generated a score of DNA hits during the last h...

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Police sergeant is arrested after being caught on camera 'stealing a paralyzed woman's prescription opioids and offering her hush money'

Maryland Sgt. Christopher Barnett, 45, stole three pills from a paralyzed woman after entering her home to question her about an unrelated case February 5, 2018 A Hagerstown police sergeant in Maryland has been arrested after stealing prescription opioids from a paralyzed woman, who caught him on video. Sgt. Christopher Barnett, 45, stole the woman...

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Man pleads to 1984 rape cases after DNA match

The evidence from both cases matched a DNA profile for Slade that was in a state database. February 6, 2018 VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) -- A man has pleaded guilty to two rapes in Virginia that police say he committed in 1984. The Virginian-Pilot reported Tuesday that 58-year-old Rubin Carroll Slade Jr. will face up to two life terms at his sentencing...

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Bill requiring tracking system for sexual assault kits passes Senate committee

​ February 2, 2018 INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – A bill that would allow for the development of a sexual assault kit tracking system passed a Senate committee on WednesdayState Sen. Michael Crider (R-Greenfield) drafted the bill after an audit on sexual assault kits in Indiana was conducted last year.Results of the audit showed 5,400 sexual assault kits wer...

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1514 Hits

Former Las Vegas Metro officer arrested for 1997 cold case murder (DNA)

A former Las Vegas Metro police officer was arrested after results from a DNA kit related to a cold case homicide matched his profile, an official Metro release confirmed. January 17, 2018 LAS VEGAS (FOX5) - A former Las Vegas Metro police officer was arrested after results from a DNA kit related to a cold case homicide matched his profile, an offi...

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Suspect in gun mill plans to plead guilty to charges

January 20 21018 A Dallas County man has agreed to plead guilty to his alleged involvement in a gun mill responsible for stealing and selling guns from the Selma Police Department's evidence vault. Richard Allen Canterbury has agreed to plead guilty to three federal gun charges, according to court documents from the United States District Court for...

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1743 Hits

Former drug court judge is disbarred for stealing cocaine from evidence locker

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court disbarred a former drug court judge who pleaded guilty to stealing cocaine from an evidence locker in his courtroom. January 20, 2018 The Pennsylvania Supreme Court disbarred a former drug court judge who pleaded guilty to stealing cocaine from an evidence locker in his courtroom. In an opinion issued Thursday, the co...

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Inside BNPP's 'disorganized evidence room': auditors found drugs in a shed, guns unsafely stored

Province orders an independent audit of regional police force's exhibits January 11, 2018 The provincial government has ordered an independent audit of a small northern police force's exhibits after a review found serious shortcomings that could put pieces of evidence, and the criminal cases that rely on them, at risk. Inside BNPP's headquarters in...

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2109 Hits

Former Bella Vista Officer Arrested, Accused Of Mishandling Evidence

According to the affidavit, pills were missing from the evidence room in relation to unattended death cases that had been worked by the Bella Vista Police Department. January 9, 2018 ENTON COUNTY (KFSM) -- A Bella Vista police officer accused of mishandling evidence was arrested Tuesday (Jan. 9). Clayton J. Roberts, 36, surrendered to authorities a...

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Cornyn bill to reduce national rape kit backlog signed into law

Cornyn's legislation increased the dollar amount spent on untested rape kits by 35 percent January 8, 2018 President Donald Trump signed a bill proposed by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) called the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Reporting (SAFER) Act -- which reauthorizes, strengthens, and extends the Sexual Assault Forensic Reporting program to he...

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2151 Hits

Former Ellis County Deputy Sentenced For Stealing & Selling Guns From Evidence Room January 8, 2018 at 11:57 am

Ex-Ellis County sheriff's Lt. Philip Gary Slaughter, who supervised an evidence room, was sentenced to 15 months for possession or sale of stolen firearms. January 8, 2018 DALLAS (AP) – A former North Texas sheriff's deputy must serve more than a year in federal prison for stealing confiscated guns and pawning the weapons or selling them online. Ex...

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Sheriff exit audit reveals more concerns

"I am keenly aware of the International Association of Property and Evidence standards and guidelines" Enter Article DATE HERE NORMAN — An audit report issued on Jan. 2 raises further concerns over the state of the Cleveland County sheriff's department under the previous administration. Former sheriff Joe Lester resigned suddenly on Oct. 2 aft...

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2292 Hits

Chief: BVPD Employees Fired after Evidence Mishandled

Detective Clayton Roberts and Mike Kugler, an evidence custodian for the police department, were fired on December 20, 2017, after members of the department noticed discrepancies in the evidence room January 3, 2018 BELLA VISTA, Ark. (KNWA) -- Two Bella Vista Police Department employees have been fired and are being investigated by Benton County au...

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2183 Hits

Police apologize for lost rape kits

Police reach out to survivors about discarded evidence January 1, 2018 When Veronica was raped more than 13 years ago, she says neither the police nor the hospital staff believed her story that a longtime friend attacked her while his mother was in the next room. "I was treated like a female crying wolf," said Veronica, who says the man raped her w...

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5,000 rape kits result in 1,300 DNA "hits" in Florida

Attorney General Pam Bondi says the state is ahead of pace in reaching its goal of processing all 86 hundred backlogged kits by June, 2019. December 28, 2018 TALLAHASSEE, FL (WWSB) - Nearly 5,600 previously unprocessed sexual assault kits have now been tested, according to new statistics released by the attorney general's office. "Our goal is to he...

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3 Baltimore County Officers Recovering After Fentanyl Exposure

Police say it took about 12 hours to decontaminate the station Enter Article DATE HERE Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. The incident started with a traffic stop, during which narcotics were recovered. The arresting officer and another officer started to become ill after loc...

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Sheriff’s investigator fired, arrested in theft of narcotics

Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree said another investigator noticed the tablets missing from an evidence locker. December 7, 2017 A Richmond County Sheriff's Office investigator has been fired and arrested, accused ofstealing narcotics from the department and using them.... Investigator Patrick Thomas Kaney, 33, was taken into custody Wedne...

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2183 Hits

Former Mobile County deputy arrested on drug, theft charges

"Basically he was making arrests, seizing evidence as part of his responsibilities as a deputy but then not turning that evidence into the property room and using it for his own personal use November 29, 2017 Former Mobile County Sheriff's Office Deputy Seth Stevens was arrested Tuesday, according to the Mobile County District Attorney's Office. Ch...

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2152 Hits

Son of former Baton Rouge judge released from prison in evidence room theft case


Colvin admitted distributing the stolen cocaine for a roughly $200,000 profit and spending the money on a vehicle, jewelry and other things, court documents showed. Prosecutors said the thefts occurred between September and December 2012. More than 48 pounds of cocaine was stolen. Enter Article DATE HERE The son of a former Baton Rouge judge h...

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Evidence audits show room for improvement in Greenwood, Laurens counties

SLED's investigators found some items had been destroyed, returned to people or sent to SLED from the evidence rooms, but the system had not been updated to show the items were gone, the report said November 13, 2017 Whenever a sheriff's office changes hands, it's customary to have the State Law Enforcement Division come in and inventory any eviden...

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Aberdeen Police Lieutenant Charged, Accused Of Stealing Drugs

The officer stole the drugs from an evidence locker and a citizen prescription drop box. November 9, 2017 An Aberdeen Police lieutenant has been charged after officials say he stole and consumed drugs such as OxyContin, heroin, fentanyl and cocaine. Aberdeen Police Department lieutenant Daniel E. Gosnell, 38, has been charged with misconduct in off...

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Former Memphis police lieutenant testifies about negligence, cover-up in sex crimes unit

A former Memphis Police Lieutenant testified on Wednesday that detectives intentionally closed sexual assault cases without sending victim's rape kits out for testing or following up on leads first November MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Shocking new details are coming out of a lawsuit against the City of Memphis for the backlog of untested rape kits. A former ...

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2063 Hits

Detectives solve 1979 murder of Salem teen

Persistence and DNA lead to the killer, who died in prison in 2002 November 6, 2017 SALEM — The persistence of a detective and the sister of a young woman who was stabbed and beaten has solved a murder in Oregon — 38 years after it happened. On March 9, 1979, Janie Landers disappeared outside the Fairview Training Center for the developmentally dis...

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2070 Hits

Gun used in SAPD officer's murder missing

No one from the San Antonio Police Department would say where it might be or if it will ever be recovered. November 4, 2017 AN ANTONIO - What happens to a gun used in a crime? You might assume police take it and lock it away as evidence, but as KENS 5 found out, that's not always the case. The shooting death of SAPD Detective Benjamin Marconi is a ...

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2141 Hits

JPD investigates missing items from evidence room, prosecuting attorney releases statement

"There was no proof of criminal wrongdoing at that time and no charges were brought against anyone," Chief Elliott said. Enter Article DATE HERE JONESBORO, AR (KAIT) - Jonesboro Police Chief Rick Elliott said in a statement Friday that an investigation revealed missing money, drugs, and other general property from their evidence room. Chief El...

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2021 Hits

Florida Cop Stole Drugs From Dying Man’s Home After Hurricane Irma

A little over an hour after paramedics took a dying Boynton Beach, Florida man to the hospital, Palm Beach County Deputy Jason Cooke was caught rifling through the man's cabinets and drawers, according to a probable cause affidavit. October 28, 2018 A sheriff's deputy swooped into a senior citizen's house after paramedics were called — and was caug...

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2185 Hits

City leaders look at police department over missing weapons

Tupelo's police department cannot locate some of its firearms inventory September 26, 2017 TUPELO – Tupelo's police department cannot locate some of its firearms inventory, but Chief Bart Aguirre said the problem dates back to previous administrations and more stringent controls are now in place. A cache of weapons were identified as missing by the...

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Ex-Detroit deputy chief indicted in towing scandal

She accepted cash bribes while helping an unnamed towing company owner with permits and circumvent rules that prohibit a towing company owner from having more than one company in each police district or towing rotation, according to the indictment. Enter Article DATE HERE "If the allegations are true, it's extremely troubling," Detroit Police ...

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Rutherford County Sheriff's Office Achieves IAPE Accreditation

The International Association for Property and Evidence, Inc. (IAPE) announced today  that the Property and Evidence Section of the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office has been awarded full accreditation status as of September 15, 2017 October 4 , 2017 The International Association for Property and Evidence, Inc. (IAPE) announced today (Wednesd...

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Fentanyl-detecting laser could save lives, help officers


The device was developed as part of the Fentanyl Detection Project -- a joint effort between the St. Petersburg Police Department and Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. October 4, 2017 LARGO (FOX 13) - Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50 times more potent than heroin that was once used to treat terminally ill cancer patients. But drug dealers have fou...

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NIBIN Links Drive by Shooting Investigations with Homicide Investigation


By: Joyce Riba & Jan Schmitt ​As an instructor for IAPE, I always try to mingle with the students and learn some of the systems and processes they are using which have been successful for them when handling or storing evidence.It was during one of these classes that I met Evidence Identification Supervisor Jan Schmitt from the Yuma Police Depar...

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1855 Hits

Houston faces class action lawsuit from sexual assault victims

The Houston Forensic Science Center took over the police department's forensic operations in 2014 and said it eliminated a backlog dating to the 1980s that it inherited from the police department. October 1, 2017 Current and former Houston officials are facing a class action lawsuit from sexual assault victims who said the delay in testing their ra...

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1884 Hits

Sheriff calls for evidence room investigation after audit

The report outlined problems, including missing drugs, present guns and drugs that weren't recorded in the inventory and disconnected security cameras. Enter Article DATE HERE ERIN, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee sheriff is calling for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to look into irregularities of his department's evidence room and the former ...

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1997 Hits

Drugs missing, guns mishandled in Houston County evidence room

"Officials failed to perform an annual inventory." September 25, 2017 A state investigation has found serious problems with the Houston County Sheriff's Office property and evidence room, including drugs that were missing, guns and drugs in the room that weren't in the inventory and security cameras that weren't connected. The Tennessee Office of t...

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2308 Hits

After lab closure, daunting questions on DNA-based convictions remain

Thousands of people — defense attorneys estimate 4,000 to 5,000, while prosecutors say fewer than 3,600 — were convicted using evidence processed by the Police Department's forensics lab between 2004 and 2016, Enter Article DATE HERE The shuttering of the Austin Police Department's forensics lab after an audit found unscientific protocols and ...

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