Article Contributed on: 1/13/2009 11:20:57 AM
Bob Huestis started out working as a property supervisor in the health care field. He ordered medical supplies and maintained computerized inventories for hospital systems.
In 1986, after working at Swedish Medical Center, he found himself out of work. He saw an ad for the city of Lakewood for a property supervisor at the police department.
"I didn't think I had a ghost of a chance. It was nothing like anything I'd ever done before, but if I got the job it would be OK for awhile," said Huestis.
"Then, I got hooked on the excitement of the criminal justice system," he said.
Although he remembered the job interview by a police lieutenant and captain as intimidating, he's been at the job for 22 years.
Huestis is in charge of more than 63,000 items - from jewelry to car hoods. Evidence has outgrown the original space is housed in five separate storage locations totaling 16,000 square feet. Three storage areas are at the Lakewood Police Department and two are off site.
Huestis works out of a modest, tidy office and supervises a staff of seven evidence technicians who are initially on probation for six months training with Huestis and another technician.
"The attention to detail is important, but the most important qualification for the job is integrity," Huestis said.
He admitted the job is not for everyone. Evidence technicians have access to large quantities of narcotics, cash and firearms.
"We never want to have any question about an employee's integrity," he said.
Over the years Huestis said he has influenced a move to an electronic filing system.
He said a crime lab technician collects items from the scene. Evidence technicians take fingerprints, label and file the evidence. Everything is bar coded.
If the case is filed with the district attorney's office and the DA finds sufficient evidence to go to trial, evidence remains in temporary custody of the police department. Keeping track of its whereabouts is vital.
Carla Saunier has worked in property evidence for five years at Lakewood. She said though stressful the job is never boring.
Huestis said one of the challenges of the job is dealing with the personal issues of victims.
"We aren't dealing with positive issues, we are dealing with people in trouble. We learn how to live with it. We deal with families of suicide victims or missing children.
But we have an important responsibility to preserve evidence. Evidence holds equal weight to either innocence or guilt. I keep it ready for trial, but the jury makes a decision," he said.
Huestis said there are instances where evidence, such as drivers licenses can be released to victims. In those cases the evidence is photographed if needed in court.
"We don't want to victimize people twice, so we make an effort to contact people and return belongings."
Huestis said what keeps him going is faith in the system itself.
"I have been impressed with the lengths the system goes to defend innocence. The criminal justice system isn't perfect, but it is the best anywhere in the world."