PORT ANGELES — Policies and procedures for handling evidence were reviewed and changed throughout 2006, and a new review process is on the way, Clallam County Undersheriff Rich Sill said Wednesday.
Sill declined to say if some of the changes were in response to a department employee’s being placed on paid administrative leave last week, or if new procedures led supervisors to notice anomalies.
Officials have declined to name the employee, an evidence technician.
State Patrol detectives have been assigned to investigate “the possible mishandling of evidence,” said Trooper Brian George, spokesman on Wednesday.
Sill said on Wednesday that because the case had been turned over to State Patrol, all questions were to be referred to that agency.
The employee was placed on leave on Nov. 29 and the State Patrol was asked to investigate on Nov. 30, said Jim Jones, Clallam County administrator last week.
George said there was no timeline for completing the investigation.
“When their questions are answered, that’s when it’s done.” George said.
“They’ll work as quickly as they can.”
Past procedures changes
Sill said evidence handling procedures have gone through a series of adjustments throughout 2006.
“That was simply one of all the procedures going through a reanalyzing,” during the year, Sill said.
After the start of the year, an automated review of the policies and procedures for evidence handling will be implemented every 90 days, Sill said.
Sheriff Joe Martin, who lost his re-election bid to Sgt. Bill Benedict last month, will leave office at midnight Dec. 31.
He was not in the office Wednesday afternoon.
In November 2005, following the dismissal and resignation of a deputy and two supervisors, at least seven criminal charges were dismissed because prosecutors found the cases compromised.
Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney Deborah Kelly has said she would not comment on the present case until the investigation is complete.