603 – Disposition of Firearms and Firearms-Related Evidence
I. Purpose
This policy establishes procedures for submitting firearms-related evidence to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory. It creates uniform and comprehensive guidelines for collecting, packaging, submitting, processing, and entering firearms-related evidence into the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS) through the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN).
The HCSO Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory Firearms Component Section, located at 4627 Crites Street is responsible for receiving firearms and firearms-related evidence from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
NIBIN is the U.S. national automated network that searches for previously unknown links between events involving the same firearm. NIBIN relies on an advanced technology called IBIS (Integrated Ballistic Identification System). IBIS uses specialized 3D microscopy to capture the marks left by firearms on fired cartridge cases and then uses algorithms to find similarly marked cartridge cases within the NIBIN database of captured images. IBIS technology is based on the principles of firearm identification.
II. Policy
This policy will define how firearms, bullets, and cartridge cases will be handled once such items are recovered or seized by any deputy and will ensure the comprehensive entry of appropriate fired cartridge specimens into IBIS through NIBIN. Any deputy who comes into the custody of a firearm, ammunition, or firearms-related evidence will adhere to the following procedures for processing such items:
A. Only certain calibers, types of firearms, and fired cartridge cases will be imaged into IBIS through NIBIN. Bullets and bullet projectiles will not be entered into IBIS. The HCSO Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory personnel will determine which firearms-related evidence is entered into IBIS through NIBIN.
B. Regardless of their seizure, all firearms and cartridge components will be processed under the guidelines of this policy. However, this does not advocate the otherwise unnecessary seizure of firearms. All other applicable policies regarding the seizure of firearms and ammunition will also be adhered to (e.g., writing offense reports, inventories, owner notifications, seizure requests, evidence barcode labels, etc.).
1. Under no circumstances will any firearm or cartridge component taken into custody by any deputy be retained without being processed according to the procedure and other applicable policies.
2. Except by lawful order of a court, no firearm or cartridge component will be released to any person, including any law enforcement officer or agency, before submission to the HCSO Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory in accordance with this policy. In turn, CSI will turn any such items over to the Property Room, who may then dispose of the items per policy.
3. A Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory supervisor must authorize the submission of any firearms and cartridge components from other agencies for evidentiary processing. When authorized, outside agencies’ submissions will also be subject to the requirements of this policy and may only be released after being processed through the HCSO Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory Firearms Component Section. The Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory supervisor can be contacted at 832-927-1200, Monday through Friday between 8 AM and 4 PM, and through Watch Command during after-hours, weekends, and holidays.
4. Cartridge components (bullets and cases) that have been fired from a firearm and recovered will be submitted to the HCSO Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory according to this policy.
C. The only exception to this policy is when an IBIS-eligible firearm or fired cartridge case has been in the custody of an outside law enforcement agency’s Property Room and has already been imaged by the outside agency’s Firearms Component Section. The item must have an existing HCSO case number and the outside agency’s name and case number. Items that meet this exception will be placed in the HCSO property room, and a supplement will be generated.
III. Procedure
A. Deputies should submit firearms, ammunition, or firearms-related evidence for processing in the following situations:
1. The items are found abandoned,
2. The items are confirmed to be stolen,
3. The item is evidence in a crime or was used in the commission of a crime,
4. The item is a prohibited weapon as defined by Texas Penal Code Chapter 46, or
5. As an investigator or supervisor directs.
B. All recovered firearms, ammunition, and fired cartridge components (bullets and cases) will be packaged in an appropriate, properly-sealed container with the signature of the reporting or submitting deputy placed across the seal before being transported to the HCSO Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory for processing.
C. ALL firearms will have the actions strapped open and, when appropriate, be sealed in clear plastic tubing. Other firearm components, such as magazines and ammunition, will need to be packaged separately and assigned individual barcodes.
D. Protective gloves will be worn when handling items of evidence.
E. The packaging will clearly identify the item.
F. In addition to an evidence barcode label, which is required to be attached to all property, an online CSI Service Request for evidence processing must accompany all firearms and related items under the same case number.
CSI Service Requests Link: https://hctx.sharepoint.com/sites/HCSO-CSUServiceRequests-Extranet/SitePages/Law-Enforcement.aspx
G. In addition to providing chain of custody documentation, information requested within the CSI Service Request online submission is needed for case tracking and reporting requirements associated with IBIS and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) Tracing Center.
H. Firearms evidence will be submitted directly to the HCSO Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory via the Evidence Management Section. If the evidence also requires other forensic processing, the submitting deputy will make the specific request(s) using the CSI Service Requests online submission database.
IBIS-eligible fired cartridge cases must be submitted to the HCSO Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory within 72 hours or less from the evidence collection date.
1. IBIS-eligible fired cartridge cases will no longer be processed for latent prints unless it is believed the suspect handled the cartridge cases after they were fired.
2. IBIS-eligible fired cartridge cases will no longer be processed for DNA unless it is believed the cartridge cases were handled by the suspect or possible DNA was deposited on the cartridge cases after they were fired.
I. Firearms evidence received by the HCSO Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory where the submitting officer is requesting latent print processing will be processed by the Firearms Component Section once the processing for latent prints is completed.
J. HCSO Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory personnel will also be responsible for releasing HCSO evidence from the Firearms Component Section to the HCSO Property Room for storage.
K. Evidence being processed for other agencies will be submitted in accordance with the provisions of this policy.
All firearms or firearms-related evidence will be submitted to HCSO Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory personnel for forensic processing. Upon investigative request, any firearm sent by CSI to the HCSO Property Room can later be pulled and routed to the HCIFS Firearms Lab.
NOTE: All evidence submissions to the HCSO Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory, including the Friction Ridge Section, must be done through the CSI Service Requests online database. Link: https://hctx.sharepoint.com/sites/HCSO-CSU-ServiceRequests-Extranet
L. Except as provided herein, all firearms will be rendered safe (i.e., unloaded) before being submitted to the HCSO Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory.
1. This will be clearly demonstrated by strapping the action of the firearm open.
2. If a firearm cannot be unloaded for any reason, HCSO Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory personnel WILL be contacted for instructions before submission.
3. If HCSO Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory personnel authorize a loaded firearm to be submitted, it will be transported directly to the HCSO Crime Scene Investigations/Crime Laboratory.
4. Under no circumstance will the submitting deputy deliver a loaded firearm without prior approval and an obvious and distinct warning attached to the firearm and/or packaging clearly indicating the firearm is loaded.
Revision
This policy has been revised on the below listed dates:
April 21, 2009 December 30, 2020
November 4, 2015 March 1, 2025
October 9, 2017 March 5, 2025 (Technical Changes)