Melbourne Police Department Revolutionizes Evidence Management with EvidenceOnQ

Melbourne, FL – In an era where efficiency and accountability are paramount for law enforcement, the Melbourne Police Department has successfully tackled a universal challenge: the meticulous management of property and evidence. By implementing the EvidenceOnQ evidence management system, the department has not only streamlined its operations but also set a new standard for modern policing.

According to Chief Mike Looney, the fundamental problem for property rooms nationwide is straightforward: "How do I store this stuff so I can find the stuff when I need it?" This seemingly simple question often leads to hours of searching in less organized systems. Melbourne Police found their answer in EvidenceOnQ, a system that transforms chaos into order.

Enhanced Accountability and Accreditation

One of the most significant benefits highlighted by the Melbourne Police Department is the system's impact on accreditation and maintaining the chain of custody. "It's allowed us to facilitate our accreditation process much better because we have a database that's really comprehensive," a spokesperson noted.

The EvidenceOnQ system provides a full accounting of all the steps required to achieve and maintain accreditation, offering unparalleled transparency. 

Swift and Accurate Evidence Retrieval

For citizens and officers alike, the ability to quickly locate evidence is a game-changer. The "search by text" feature within EvidenceOnQ has proven invaluable. Users can input a simple keyword, such as a person's last name, and the system instantly searches every field to locate the item.

This feature has dramatically reduced wait times for citizens retrieving their property. Beyond that, it empowers officers. "It's easy for them to pull up the property and see exactly where it's at," a representative explained, emphasizing its importance in a large property room, especially when trying to find items from the 90s or 2000s. The days of exhaustive manual searches are firmly in the past.

Officer Adoption and User-Friendly Design

Introducing new technology to seasoned police officers can often be met with resistance. "Police officers don't like new stuff," candidly admitted a department member. However, EvidenceOnQ quickly won over its users due to its intuitive design. The database is "pretty user-friendly," allowing officers to proficiently navigate the system for entering property and evidence without constant assistance.

One officer, with two decades of experience rooted in paper-based systems, specifically praised the printed labeling system as a "favorite part" of EvidenceOnQ. This small but critical detail eliminates handwriting errors and ensures consistency. This officer also appreciates the ability to "go back at any time and find my evidence and see what happened with it," underscoring the system's comprehensive tracking capabilities.

A Call for "True" Evidence Management

For other law enforcement agencies contemplating a similar upgrade, the message from Melbourne Police is clear: "Get an evidence tracking system." However, they stress the importance of choosing wisely. It's essential to seek out a true evidence management system that offers customization to meet an agency's unique needs.

EvidenceOnQ allows departments to "design your profile page with the fields you need," ensuring the system perfectly aligns with their operational requirements. The Melbourne Police Department's successful integration of EvidenceOnQ stands as a testament to the power of modern technology in enhancing efficiency, accountability, and ultimately, public safety within law enforcement.