When it comes to proper evidence storage, being able to upgrade products and facilities is always a welcome opportunity. Sometimes, it’s imperative.
On average, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office’s (VCSO) evidence storage facility receives hundreds of new items every month – about 20,000 annually. Before early 2019, the office housed these items inside an old Volusia County prison built in 1938. Although not constructed with evidence storage in mind, the building served its purpose well.
However, with issues ranging from narrow doorways and inadequate space (e.g., some boxes/records stored in old cells with the cots removed) to occasional flooding and even the odd reptile incursion, the structure’s days in that capacity were numbered. While the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies always found the space in good order, a move to something newer, bigger, and better became inevitable with time.
Today, the VCSO’s evidence storage warehouse sits near the Sheriff’s Office Training Facility and the Emergency Operations Center. Close to four years in the planning, the space features ceilings designed to accommodate custom 20-foot-tall ActivRAC “high-bay” Mobile Shelving. The facility boasts nearly 290,000 square feet of workspace and state-of-the-art air quality, safety and security efficiencies.
Here, storage was more than merely a part of the project; indeed, it was the project! The nearly 300,000-square-foot facility provides evidence storage only – a far cry from a Depression-era prison farm.
“We had a strong relationship with the general contractor (GC) and did a lot of work with the architect,” said Patterson Pope Sales Representative Ron Nienhuis. “Being able to collaborate so closely with the customer, the GC, and the architects, allowed us to ensure that the VCSO got not only the best products but that those products were seamlessly integrated into the design of the space.”
Given the large amount of evidence the facility needed to house, the team gave much thought to planning for today’s needs and anticipating future requirements. The new building boasts a pair of large evidence storage rooms and several smaller rooms, offices, a bicycle storage room (with bike racks), a garage, and a carport area.
“Every aisle has what’s called Automated Guided Vehicle technology, or AGV,” said Nienhuis. “Essentially, it allows the mechanical order pickers that move up and down the aisles to be operated with more precision and safety. It’s a great added feature.”
In the process of taking the VCSO’s evidence inventory, Nienhuis said he and his team ran across all kinds of items. These included rolls of carpet, car bumpers, rifles, different kinds of guns, hockey sticks, and even machines confiscated from a site running an illegal gambling operation. It's essential to bear in mind, he said that they must keep some pieces of evidence for decades, sometimes even forever.
“Providing the right public safety storage solution means understanding what kinds of evidence will be stored, how it needs to be stored, and for how long it might be kept,” said Nienhuis. “Every situation is different. At Patterson Pope, we enjoy the problem-solving aspect of each product.”
Patterson Pope provided products from over 13 manufacturers to the VCSO’s new facility. In addition to the ActivRAC, there are Evidence Storage Lockers, pallet racking, bike racks, work tables, and more. Items like long guns and narcotics are kept under “triple security,” meaning that access to them requires opening three separate locked areas. Think of it as the “Russian Doll” of evidence protection.
“Here in Florida, property and evidence facilities follow a somewhat standard footprint,” added Nienhuis. “Our designers and architects who do this kind of work are very adept at tailoring solutions to an individual space, as we did here. Every one of the 65 counties in Florida has some type of Evidence Storage facility. We look at the size of the items that a customer is going to be storing and we actually plan the separation inches from shelf to shelf so that evidence fits really well. In doing so, we save them about 30% capacity.”
Volusia County will be well served for years to come thanks in no small part to the efficient workings of this new evidence storage facility. Patterson Pope is proud to have offered such a wide variety of product solutions.
The mission statement of the Volusia County Sheriff's office reads, "To protect and serve with courage, honor and integrity by fighting crime, maintaining trust and building community partnerships." The commitment to exceptional evidence storage is certainly a large component of that.
In the world of evidence storage, quality products and precision performance mean more than accreditation; they ensure peace of mind.
To learn more about this project check out the Case Study, or contact a representative from Patterson Pope today to learn more.
