By Lauren Macovitz / Jambar Contributor
From firearms and drugs to DNA and fingerprints, evidence collected by the Youngstown State University Police Department follows a structured process designed to preserve integrity, ensure accountability and maintain public trust.
Lt. Adam Skovira, who oversees investigations, dispatch and training at the department, said evidence handling begins at the scene of an incident and continues through a closely monitored system once it reaches the station.
“Evidence is collected on scene,” Skovira said. “After evidence is determined, it needs to be taken to the station. It is photographed, logged into property bags and immediately transported to the station, where it’s logged into a temporary evidence locker.”
Skovira said each piece of evidence is sealed and secured in temporary lockers accessible to authorized personnel only.
“Once it’s put into a temporary locker, it’s locked, and only I have access to the temporary evidence locker,” he said.
From there, Skovira said evidence is transferred to a secure evidence room under video surveillance and tracked through a detailed chain of custody form that documents who collected it, where it was found and every transfer of possession.
“You can track that piece of evidence every step of the way,” Skovira said. “If it’s needed for court, you can tell who had it, when and exactly where that evidence was.”
Sgt. Kevin Chapel, YSU Police Academy instructor, said officers handle a wide range of evidence, including drugs, guns, fingerprints and clothing collected for DNA testing.
“We’ve handled just about anything you could think of,” Chapel said. “Different types of evidence have to be bagged and tagged differently.”
The police department follows evidence-handling procedures from standards established by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations.
According to BCI training materials, law enforcement agencies across Ohio are required to follow specific packaging, labeling and documentation practices to preserve evidence and prevent contamination. Failure to follow these standards can compromise investigations or result in evidence being deemed inadmissible in court.
“If we need to get DNA off of a piece of evidence, you can’t put it in a plastic bag. It has to be in a brown paper bag,” Chapel said. “For guns, we have gun boxes.”
Officers receive training on these procedures during their initial field training and through ongoing instruction. Skovira said evidence handling is emphasized early and reinforced regularly.
“They are trained to know every piece of evidence needs to be separate, how it’s logged and we use the BCI guidelines,” Skovira said. “Those things are really ironed out during field-training time once you’re hired.”
Skovira added that supervisors conduct roll-call training and distribute updated guidance when BCI standards change.
“Once BCI sends out further guidance, I always disseminate it down to the sergeants, and then they do the roll-call training,” Skovira said.
Chapel said while some agencies send officers to specialized evidence technician schools, YSU Police primarily rely on internal training and BCI guidance, though additional training opportunities are expected.
“The training they get is specifically from field training officers, roll-call training and all that comes down from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations,” Chapel said. “But in the foreseeable future, more officers will be going to this evidence tech training.”
Internal accountability includes multiple levels of review. Skovira said reports are reviewed by shift supervisors before final approval, ensuring evidence is properly documented and secured.
YSU Police also balances transparency with privacy laws. Marsy’s Law, a victims’ rights amendment added to the Ohio Constitution in 2017, allows victims to request that their identifying information be withheld from public records. Uncharged suspects’ names are also redacted until cases are closed or charges are filed.
“We try to be as transparent as possible, but we also have to respect the rights of victims,” Skovira said.
Crime statistics collected by YSU Police are reported to the Ohio Incident-Based Reporting System, a statewide database that allows the public and researchers to analyze crime trends across jurisdictions. The department also provides a complaint-compliment form on its website for community feedback.
“It’s huge in terms of building trust and ensuring police legitimacy with the community,” Skovira said. “Being transparent is definitely one of the core values that we need to maintain.”
Chapel said the department holds itself to the same standards as any municipal police agency.
“We want them to know that we do things to the highest standards,” he said. “Not just for them but for our own integrity purposes.”
Skovira encouraged students and community members to ask questions if they have concerns.
“If you have a question, don’t ever hesitate to ask to talk to somebody,” Skovira said. “We do everything we can to uphold the standards of our department and our policies.”