Digital photos

Does anyone understand the new GO on digital evidence? Seems everyone has a different version and way to handle it. Anyone know?

Only one way to handle it:

A Photographs, Digital, and Electronic Media
(1) Photographs, videos, and digital/electronic records seized as evidence shall be listed on a property receipt, assigned an evidence number, and handled as evidence.
(2) All images recorded on a CompactFlash card shall be documented by using the Incident number, time, location, photographers name and employee’s identification number as the first image taken for each separate incident number stored on a CompactFlash card.
(a) Once images of evidentiary value are recorded on a CompactFlash card, the photographer shall maintain custody of the Compact Flash card until it is submitted to an Evidence Custodian. The evidence custodian will transfer the images to a non-rewriteable CD-Rom to preserve the digital evidence. The image transfers shall only be completed using properly licensed software. The evidence custodian will not alter or enhance the photographs transferred to CD-Rom.
(b) Members with assigned digital cameras will be trained on the use of digital camera technology.
(c) No member will alter or enhance any photograph submitted for evidence.
(d) All processing and printing of evidentiary digital photographs will be done by the Evidence Custodian or their designee in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
(e) Once the image has been transferred to a CD-Rom for evidentiary purposes the CompactFlash card will be cleared and returned to the submitting officer.

As to the first image I just take a pic of a sheet of paper/card/whatever with the info needed. Everything else is self explainitory. I had to burn some CD' to clear my flash card after I read this portion of the G.O.
Follow the steps, I'm sure somebody will gripe about it though :roll:

what happened to the squirrel ? I like drinking with him

I had to burn some CD' to clear my flash card after I read this portion of the G.O.

Are you an evidence custodian???? The G.O. states only the evidence custodian or their designee can do that. Boy those evidence custodians are going to be busy. Wait until I bring him 200 photos from a boating accident and he has to download, transfer and print all my photos. I guess since it is evidence it has to be in by the end of the shift also. :devil:
I love this s@*t. :lol:

Does Tally understand that FWC DOES NOT have a person dedicated full time to evidence in most of FL? Have you ever tried getting a hold of an evidence custodian in a timely manner? Try it sometime and you will realize this new policy is already set up for failure.

Okay, your in a county 75 miles away from an office and are expected to drive by the end of your shift (now that taking a picture is considered evidence) and get up w/ the custodian so they can print out your pictures, erase your card and burn a cd. That is not reasonable or practical and when interviewed by assessors you will find that out when it becomes a non-compliance standard. This is not Orlando PD where you are in one county w/ designated crime scene and evidence techs. Try something more realisitic for what we do!

[21Regal]

what happened to the squirrel ? I like drinking with him
He was a little hung over last night:) I knew it wouldn't take long for the gripe fest to begin. If you mess with me too much my fury little friend will rip your nut$ off and bury them for the winter :snicker: What I meant if you had old pics and other pics of intrest, use your imagination, on your camera that is what you need to unload. As to case pics you can load all the pics at once and separate the images for each case. Each case will have a different CD. The CD's don't have to be burned by the end of the shift. Read the G.O., only the stuff you seize has to be in by the end of the shift. The picture you take only backs up what you seized or to document what you released. You will paste it onto your report and store the CD yourself until the case is done. Check with your local custodian or alternate on how they want to handle it. This is not that hard. If you got a problem take it up with your LT. With my last statement lord knows which way this thread will go :roll:

I must admit, I do miss donating the fish to the local shelter and just getting a signature was good enough. Technology is catching up with us boy's and girls, we better get used to it. now let me drink with that rat with the fury tail

Does it have to be turned in by the end of your shift or by 72 hours or more w/ supervisor approval? Is it considered evidence? If so, then it has to be submitted by the end of the shift. It would be nice to have some guidance and or some examples to follow. Is that too much to ask? I know its can be hard to understand what it is like to write a ticket an sieze evidence when you haven't been in the field in 10-20 years.... Yet, it is easy to make policy! Get w/ it or you won't get it --CFA!

Does it have to be turned in by the end of your shift or by 72 hours or more w/ supervisor approval? Is it considered evidence? If so, then it has to be submitted by the end of the shift. It would be nice to have some guidance and or some examples to follow. Is that too much to ask? I know its can be hard to understand what it is like to write a ticket an sieze evidence when you haven't been in the field in 10-20 years.... Yet, it is easy to make policy! Get w/ it or you won't get it --CFA!
The G.O. is clear whether you agree with it or not. Pictures of evidentiary value are not evidence, they are part of your report/case. Pictures/CD's/cameras you take from a defendant are evidence. If you take the first picture as it states under the section of G.O. 16 headed photographs, digital & elecronic media on page 6,section (2), then the rest of your pics, when the evidence custodian/alternate downloads the images it will be easy to separae the case images if you have more than one case on the flash card. The images then can be loaded onto a CDR. As to printing the pictures once they have been loaded onto a CDR then a evidence cutodian or designee can print the pics. Hint-a designee is neither a evidence custodian or a alternate. If you have ever had a case that involved a lot of follow up documentation you know you can't document it all in one shot.
If there is a distance/time issue involved then I personally would still do the report just without the pictures within 72 hours. I would have the pics done on a incident summary narrative page (FWCDLE 045A). I like to do the pics on a separate page anyway. Also that form covers all the info needed (picture taker name if not you, date, time, incident number, attested to/sworn, etc.). Sometimes it just takes looking at something and trying to make it work instead of shutting down and finding ways to not do it. The latter is the easy way. The first takes some time to figure it out.
I'm sure somebody else will chime in and B.W.P. & M. Its easy just to do that.

Good post, until the sarcasm at the end... Thanks for the input.

This GO is about evidenciary photos taken with a digital camera. All evidence, including digital evidence, must be turned in by the end of your shift.

This GO is about evidenciary photos taken with a digital camera. All evidence, including digital evidence, must be turned in by the end of your shift.
Hate to say it but nope. Evidence is something you seize from someone. As stated in section (15)"Secure all collected evidence and seized property at a Division-approved storage facility prior to the end of a member’s shift." You did not collect the photo you took nor did you seize it. A photo of evidentiary value is no different from what you write in an incident summary report. Is that not of evidentiary value. Does the report help prove a fact. If that is the case then your incident summary report is due by the end of the shift and must be turned into an evidence custodian. The photos are taken to support your report or by court order dealing with pre-trial disposition of evidence. No where in digital media protion of G.O. 16 does it state the photos/flash card has to be turned in by the end of the shift. The evidence custodian/alternate does the loading of the pics to a CD to insure the pictures have not been tampered with. The evidence custodian or alternate prints the pictures also. Don't get the term evidentiary purposes confused with things you collect or seize.

Who cares if it has to be turned in @ the end of the shift or by 72 hours. Pretty simple actually, just write warnings and/or give verbals and then you don't have to worry about violating the GO. Last time I checked, there wasn't any bonuses given out for the amount of evidence you seized. Educate and voluntary compliance!