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Property and Evidence Unit
PLEASE NOTE: To ensure your property is available for pick up, you must make an appointment with our Property/Evidence employees. Please call 762-400-7474 before attempting to pick up your property.
Overview
The Athens-Clarke County Police Department collects, stores, and processes a large variety and volume of property items. These items are collected, stored, and classified as either Evidence, Contraband, Safekeeping, or Found. Items are returned to the owner once they are no longer needed. Citizens have 90 days after notification to retrieve their property. Afterward, the items will be disposed of under state law and county ordinances. (For additional details, see the ACC Code of Ordinances, 13.11.1 and 13.12.1.)
Before Picking up Your Property
We want to ensure a quick and efficient release of all property items. Before you come to the Property and Evidence facility, obtain your case number, incident date, description of property items, and other case-related information. You should then call the evidence facility and provide the information you collected. This will allow our evidence techs to check our database to confirm what items we have and determine if they are available for release or need to be retained. Our techs will schedule a day for you to pick up the items if they are available for release.
Property Retrieval Information
Items collected as evidence during an investigation will be retained until the case is concluded or the items are no longer needed for court. This will require release authorization from the court and case officer prior to release. Items that are collected as safekeeping and found, may be released to the lawful owner, once the items have been processed into the evidence facility. All items require a review to confirm the availability for release. Items may not be immediately released without prior notice.
Scheduling Appointments
Call 762-400-7474 and provide your name, case number, a description of items, and a good contact number. We will review your case and work with you to schedule an appointment if items are available for release.
To ensure that your property is available for pick up, you must make an appointment with our Property/Evidence employees.
Firearm Retrieval
Firearms require additional steps to process and release. All firearms are inspected, checked for wants, and require a background check of the person collecting the firearm. These steps require additional time to complete and cannot be completed immediately without prior notice. Call before you come, so we can begin the release process and schedule a date for pick up. Firearms will not be released to any prohibited person based on federal guidelines 18 U.S.C. 922 (g), with no exceptions.