Booked Items
All items taken in by the Police Department are classified as either evidence, safekeeping, or found.
Evidence: Evidence includes items of property which have some connection to a crime (such as tools used to commit a burglary or items recovered from a previous burglary). Because items booked as evidence may be used during the course of a criminal trial, they are handled differently from other items in regard to handling, packaging, etc.
Items held as evidence are usually retained until the prosecution of the criminal case has been concluded on all parties involved in the case. Approval may be required from both the District Attorney’s office and the SPD detective assigned to the case before property can be released.
Property Section personnel DO NOT have information on case dispositions. If you have questions about a criminal case or need to know the current status, please contact the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office at (916) 874-6218 and ask to speak with the Deputy DA in charge of the case (you will need to provide the SPD case #). Online inquiries can be made at http://www.da.saccounty.net/main/contact.htm. If you don't know the SPD case number, contact SPD Records Section at (916) 808-0620 or online at /faq/reports.asp.
Safekeeping: Safekeeping items are those held for the owner for various reasons and are not intended to be used as evidence in a criminal case. The owner has 60 days to claim the items once he/she has been informed in writing as to location and other information. Without written notification, items are held 60 days from the date of the booking. Unclaimed items are disposed of in accordance with California law.
All illegal weapons, ammunition, drugs or narcotics which are confiscated, found, or otherwise turned into the Sacramento Police Department will be destroyed.
Weapons turned in or taken for safekeeping due to a domestic violence incident or an incident where the person is taken in for psychiatric evaluation may be retrieved from the Property Section when certain conditions are met and after receiving clearance from the California Department of Justice (DOJ). Weapons unclaimed after 180 days will be destroyed. For contact information, see the paragraph titled "Release of Firearms" on the following page.
Items held for safekeeping, found property, recovered, and cleared stolen property are released to their owners, upon proof of ownership. If unclaimed, these items are eventually sold at auction. Some items in dangerous or unusable condition will be destroyed.
Found: California law requires found property with a value of $100.00 or more to be turned over to the police department. The finder will receive a receipt. If the property remains unclaimed for 90 days, the finder may claim it. If the item is worth more than $250.00 it must be advertised in the newspaper for seven (7) days after the 90 day wait period, prior to release to the finder. The finder may be required to pay for the advertising costs.
If you have found property, please call the police as soon as possible. Found items may not be lost, but may actually have been stolen or involved in the commission of a crime which police may currently be investigating. Found property can be turned over to any police officer or brought to any police facility.
If you find property in another city (outside Sacramento), please call or go to the police department or sheriff’s station in the city or county where you found the item and turn it in there.
Weapons and Explosives
Weapons and Ammunition: If you own/possess any rifles, shotguns, handguns, ammunition or any other type of weapon that you wish to get rid of, you can bring it to any police facility for destruction. All firearms MUST be unloaded prior to transporting them to the police facility. Please DO NOT attempt to bring a loaded weapon into the police facility. If you are not familiar with firearms and are unsure how to unload a weapon, please call non-emergency dispatch at (916) 264-5471 and explain to the dispatcher that you have a loaded firearm that you want destroyed, but are unsure how to unload it. An officer will be dispatched to retrieve the firearm.
If you find a gun, or any other weapon outside, DO NOT TOUCH IT! Call the police department non-emergency dispatch at (916) 264-5471, and an officer will be sent to collect it. It is very important that the weapon remain undisturbed until an officer arrives. The firearm may have been discarded after use in a crime and could be a key item in a current SPD investigation.
Release of Firearms: California law requires that any time a firearm is reclaimed from a law enforcement agency, the owner must undergo a background check by the California Department of Justice (DOJ). This is done by contacting DOJ at (916) 263-4887. They will provide information on how to file an application for a firearm release. After DOJ conducts a background check, they will provide a letter to the applicant authorizing him/her to own/possess firearms. An additional check will be made when you come in to claim the weapon. This is to ensure that there hasn't been a change to your record since the DOJ check. Be prepared to wait up to one hour. Information is contained in DOJ's web site at http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/.
If the firearm has been taken as evidence in a crime or suspected crime, clearance may have to be obtained from the investigating officer.
Explosives: Please DO NOT bring explosives, chemicals, or other hazardous materials to the police department for destruction. If you have or find any types of explosives, unknown ammunition or other types of flammables (i.e.: dynamite, blasting caps, fireworks, or antique military items or ordinance) or any other possible volatile hazardous materials you want to dispose of please call Non-Emergency Dispatch at (916) 264-5471.
Tell Dispatchers what you have and they will send an officer or other experts to the scene to examine and secure the material. Old explosives, ammunition and other chemicals can be very unstable, sensitive to movement, and CAN EXPLODE if moved or handled incorrectly. Specially trained experts must be brought in to handle these items. An officer may be sent to your location to determine if experts are required.
Property Receipts
If items are collected or taken from you by Sacramento Police Officers, they may issue or have you sign a Field Property Receipt. This form will list the items removed or taken. The receipt will also contain an SPD case # on the top right corner of the page. If you require additional information regarding your property and when it will be available for release, you can contact the Investigations Division at (916) 808-0650 and ask to speak with the detective assigned to the case.
Money
To claim money taken as evidence or safekeeping, a money claim form may have to be filled out depending on the circumstances. Call the Property Section at (916) 264-5237 for more information.
Property Section Address, Hours, and Phone Numbers
The Property Section is located at 555 Sequoia Pacific Blvd, which is off of Richards Blvd approximately one-half mile east of Interstate 5.
Public Counter/Property Pick-up hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (excluding City holidays)
Public phone number: (916) 264-5237 Monday through Friday 8:00AM to 5:00 PM (excluding City holidays)
Fax number :(916) 264-7366
