Delta Police Department locks down evidence chain of custody using Pitney Bowes ParcelPoint Smart Lockers.
Unique Challenge
- Simplify temporary evidence storage processes for officers.
- Eliminate the possibility that the department might run out of secure storage space.
Our Designed Solution
- Pitney Bowes worked with the DPD to ensure the lockers would meet the department’s security and workflow requirements.
- Pitney Bowes assigned each member a QR code for identification and rolled out 20 smart lockers in the DPD’s south location.
Benefits of our smart parcel lockers
- Streamlined processes that minimize time required to deposit or retrieve items.
- Misuse of short-term storage eliminated, as supervisors receive emails if the evidence is not removed within the allotted time.
With more than 130 years policing the Vancouver suburb of Delta in British Columbia, the Delta Police Department is responsible for community safety.
Unique challenge
A couple of years ago, the DPD saw an opportunity to further enhance community safety by strengthening chain-of-custody tracking for evidence.
"Evidence continuity is paramount in any criminal investigation, We need to know exactly where an exhibit has been."
Our designed solution
The DPD began evaluating smart locker solutions that could automate evidence storage processes. Pitney Bowes ParcelPoint™ Smart Lockers made the shortlist because the department had used Pitney Bowes postage meters for years.
Pitney Bowes worked with the DPD to ensure the lockers would meet the department’s security needs and workflows.
Shortly before installing the lockers, Pitney Bowes demonstrated those workflows, and David Schaefer saw a chance to streamline the system’s identification of department members. Pitney Bowes worked with DPD to assign each member a QR code.
Then, Pitney Bowes rolled out 20 smart lockers in the DPD’s south location. Pitney Bowes’ ability to provide two local installers accelerated the project, which finished ahead of schedule.
“If, at any point in time, the continuity of an item is questioned, we have evidence of when it was put in the lockers and when it was picked up by the exhibits officer. The full electronic tracking logs are available.”
Benefits of our smart parcel lockers
Now, to deposit evidence, officers scan the QR code on their department-issued phone, scan the appropriate exhibit tag, and select the size of locker and who should retrieve the item. The system automatically emails the exhibits department or other designated retriever with a notification that the item is available for pickup.
The system also gives DPD leadership a dashboard showing what evidence is in each locker, who is responsible for it, and how long it has been there.
“Part of my responsibility is to make sure exhibits are processed in a timely manner. Now I have the data to do that.”
Find out more about our ParcelPoint™ Smart Parcel Lockers or check out our Parcel Receiving and Tracking Solutions.