When space is tight and security is non-negotiable, the evidence room has to work smarter.
That was the challenge facing the Whitehall Division of Police. Like many departments across the country, they were dealing with a cramped, outdated evidence room with no option to build out or up. Overflow was spilling into the hallway, weapons and sensitive materials were fighting for shelf space, and the process for storing and tracking it all was clunky at best.
Upgrading a police department's evidence room is about more than just making things look tidy. It's about protecting the chain of custody, meeting legal requirements, and creating a system that officers and staff can rely on. For Whitehall PD, that meant starting from the inside out.
When the Evidence Runs Out of Room
Evidence rooms are always tight on space. Building out is expensive, and in most departments, knocking down walls for a full renovation isn't in the cards. That's when an up-fit — repurposing what you've already got — becomes the smart move.
At the Whitehall Division of Police in Ohio, the footprint was small, but the storage demand was big. Their police department's evidence room measured just 371 square feet and had long since reached its limit. Overflow evidence lockers were crammed into the hallway, and the setup was starting to put the chain-of-custody and long-term organization at risk.
"There just wasn't enough room for everything," said Richard Zitzke, then-Chief of Police. "We needed help to ensure that all of the evidence we keep track of was kept in an organized fashion. That helps us do our jobs, and it ensures proper handling of evidence come trial time."
There was no way to make the room bigger. But with a smarter layout and more purpose-built storage, there was a way to make it work better.
That's where Patterson Pope came in.
How Whitehall Reclaimed Its Evidence Room
When Whitehall PD came to Patterson Pope with their space limitations, our team saw an opportunity. At the time, now-Vice President of Sales Eric Martin led the charge, working closely with the department to reimagine what their police department evidence room could do with the right upgrades.
"From the very beginning, it was clear they needed something flexible," Martin said. "We did a full site analysis, got a sense of what they needed, and started building out ideas that could work inside the footprint. It was tight, but there was potential."
Evidence storage is unpredictable. Items vary wildly in size, volume, and how long they need to be kept. Some are in and out in days. Others, especially sensitive evidence tied to cold cases or ongoing investigations, might be stored indefinitely. So flexibility wasn't a perk. It was a must.
Patterson Pope's first move was to convert an adjacent room into a new evidence processing area. That space now includes:
- Pass-thru evidence lockers, including a refrigerated unit for biological and DNA samples
- Drying cabinets for damp or contaminated items
- A dedicated workspace for writing reports and logging items, without leaving the chain-of-custody zone
For the police department's evidence room itself, our team introduced four standardized bin sizes to better organize a wide range of items. Wheelhouse high-density mobile shelving helped reclaim floor space and keep the footprint compact. Even the overall layout was improved to create a more intuitive and efficient workflow.
Key solutions also included: High-density shelving systems to maximize vertical storage, with custom adaptations for weapons and long guns, and refrigerated evidence lockers and drying cabinets to maintain stable temperatures and support proper handling of biological samples.
"We were able to not only maximize the space, but improve the team's productivity," Martin said. "The best solution is one that meets the client's real needs. Here, we definitely delivered."
Results That Speak for Themselves
Today, Whitehall's police department evidence room is nearly unrecognizable — in the best way. Long-term items now have a designated spot in the back. Smaller items are stored in clearly labeled bins. Weapons are secured. DNA and other biological evidence stay properly refrigerated. The improved layout has made evidence tracking, access, and storage faster and more secure.
"We're all proud of our facility, and the refreshed evidence room is certainly a part of that," said Zitzke. "It was important that we maintain it as a functional space, and Patterson Pope did a great job of keeping that in mind. We can now fit three times the amount of property in there as we could before. It's been a terrific upgrade."
More than just added capacity, the upgraded space makes every process smoother, from intake to retrieval. For the Whitehall team, that translates to a more functional, high-performing police department evidence room and a daily reminder that the right storage setup makes a real difference.
Ready to Rethink Your Police Department Evidence Room?
When every square foot counts, the right storage solution can change everything. Whether you're short on space or long overdue for a redesign, Patterson Pope can help you create a police department evidence room that works better for your team, your evidence, and your community.
Let's build something that holds up. Contact us today to get started.
