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Beckley, WV

The Beckley Police Department is currently under an internal audit after its evidence technician, Gabriella Brown, was placed on medical leave and 200 prescription pills went missing.

Brown is not being investigated at this time, but the evidence locker is. It houses thousands of pieces of evidence connected to crimes throughout the city.

The evidence locker is filled with materials from guns, to drugs, to cash. The lockers are stored in the Beckley Police Department and each locker is secured with a lock and only two people at the department are able to access those lockers. Beckley Police Chief Tim Deems said Brown and Captain Jeff Shumate are the only ones who have had access to the locker.

Evidence can be stored in the locker until particular court cases have been completed.

A log is on every bag of evidence at the Beckley P.D. and each time it is moved or opened the technician is supposed to write the date and time to keep constant record.

The audit of the locker is being conducted by the Beckley Police Department and is suspected to take weeks to complete.

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International Association for Property and Evidence
"Law Enforcement Serving the Needs of Law Enforcement"
www.IAPE.org