News release from the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office:
The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with the North Carolina Association for Property and Evidence (NCAPE), has completed a comprehensive assessment of its evidence room. The assessment revealed capacity issues and mold damage. The Office has begun making changes to ensure full compliance with North Carolina General Statutes.
Sheriff Quentin Miller requested a third-party assessment of the evidence room as part of the Sheriff’s Office’s pursuit of Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) accreditation. The assessment, conducted by NCAPE, concluded on May 9th, 2024. It revealed that the evidence room was over capacity and that the mold, initially identified in a 2019 audit, had worsened. The Sheriff’s Office has started addressing the problems identified to ensure the highest standards of evidence management are in place.
Following the NCAPE assessment, Sheriff Miller established the Property and Evidence Project Team to ensure that the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office Evidence and Property room fully complies with all North Carolina General Statutes and CALEA standards, exceeding the recommended changes outlined in the NCAPE Assessment. In collaboration with County Leadership, the Sheriff’s Office intends to use forfeiture funds to adapt an existing county building to safeguard evidence and increase storage capacity. Evidence Technicians will treat and store the affected items according to the standards set forth by the North Carolina State Crime Lab and according to NCGS § 15A‑268. This approach is designed to maintain the integrity and security of evidence while addressing current and future needs.
In line with the Office’s commitment to transparency and accountability, the Sheriff’s Office is conducting an additional inventory of evidence. This thorough review, currently in progress, will ensure that all evidence is appropriately cataloged, stored, and managed. The Sheriff’s Office will release further updates upon the conclusion of the inventory.
In addition to securely relocating current evidence, the Sheriff’s Office is working closely with Buncombe County Courts, the Office of the District Attorney, and Buncombe County Government to resolve the backlog promptly and effectively. This partnership ensures that all aspects of the evidence management process are prioritized and that the existing evidence is handled appropriately to maintain the chain of custody and to ensure due process is given to all defendants charged by the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Miller stated, “We will ensure that our evidence management system follows best practices and accreditation standards. We are committed to resolving these issues and preventing future administrations from encountering the same problem.”
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