The need for a larger and more efficient police department evidence room led the discussion at the Southgate city council’s Nov. 15 meeting.
The current evidence room is too small, said Police Chief John Christmann, and does not meet the standards of accreditation. The next accreditation for his department will be in 2026, and he said he hoped a space solution would be worked out before that visit and inspection.
Council Member Joe Anderson opened discussion with some ideas of how offices might be moved around, as well as ways the police department and community center building to create more space.
“If the accreditation assessment team came here today, we would fail. Our policies are all up-to-date, but our physical evidence room would fail,” Christmann said. “The problem is, anything that has DNA evidence has to be kept for 50 years. We don’t have any choice. Even if the person pleads guilty or the suspect dies in prison, it doesn’t matter, it still has to be kept.”
When different evidence is part of one crime (such as a weapon, drugs, etc.), he said, that evidence must be separated and stored. There must be space to meet proper storage regulations and enough room for larger items should the need arise.
After much discussion with several ideas, Mayor Jim Hamberg said he would form a small group to further discuss the options, costs and logistics.
