Post Office Opens with a Bang

This past week the San Jose police department Bomb Squad was called out to investigate a package dropped into a U.S. Post Office mailbox, by a “masked man” who quickly departed the scene.  It brings to mind the importance of using extreme caution when handling any evidence that could be potentially harmful:

Explosives that are known or suspected to be armed or live, other than fixed ammunition, must not be retained in the police facility. The first responders must contact the appropriate department (refer to your department’s Policy Manual) to request direction while at the scene.

The following list of explosive devices are often considered “Safe and Sane”, however, they are deemed Illegal Explosives by the Department of Treasury, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Consequently, they are hazardous and should not be handled by department personnel.

Explosive Device	Average Size and Load	Risk Factor
M-80	5/8 diameter, 1 ½” long,  120z. explosive mixture	Damage to fingers, hands and eyes.
M-100 Silver Salute	1” diameter, 21/2” long, .33 oz. explosive mixture	Severe damage to face, arms and body.
M-250	1” diameter, 3” long, .480z. explosive mixture	Severe crippling, disfiguring injuries.
M-1000	1” diameter, 6” long, .97 oz. explosive mixture	Extremely severe injuries to body, has caused death.

The FBI emphasizes the importance of caution and professionalism in evidence, and recently dedicated a memorial honoring bomb squad professionals who died in the line of duty. The memorial, located at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL, honors “the lives and the dedicated work of 13 extraordinary individuals… who did what many think of as the unthinkable—they walked straight into the face of danger in order to protect each of us.” Between 1909 – 2001, these Americans died to protect others and their country. For their ultimate sacrifice, I am eternally grateful. Read more here.

Thankful for DNA Evidence

This Thanksgiving, four young men in Illinois have something big to be thankful for: their freedom. On November 16, a Chicago judge overturned the convictions set when the men were teens. They’ve spent years in prison, and DNA proves they didn’t commit the crime.

Since 1989, there have been 280 post-conviction DNA exonerations in the United States. Nine of these were in California. Decades upon decades of lives have been lost based on various faults, including improperly handled or identified evidence: the second-greatest contributor to wrongful convictions.

Those of us handling property and evidence for our departments or institutions can help to end this madness by following all protocol and taking our jobs with seriousness, professionalism, and precaution. Together we can contribute to end this tragic cycle. For more information, read the in-depth overview on the Innocence Project website.