According to safeguarding aided property procedures, what should you do if property is illegally possessed or contraband?

• A. Take possession and have it invoiced at command
• B. Return property to owner immediately
• C. Donate the property to charity
• D. Destroy the property on the scene

Answer: (A)

Securing and processing illegally possessed or contraband property through the proper command channel is the required approach. Taking possession and having it invoiced at command fits this because you establish control on scene, create an official record, and place the item into the agency’s disposition process. This preserves the chain of custody and ensures the property is handled in a lawful, accountable way, rather than being released or discarded.

Returning the property to the owner immediately isn’t appropriate for contraband or illegally possessed items, since the owner may not be entitled to claim it and releasing it could enable further illegal activity. Donating the property to charity or destroying it on scene also violates policy and procedure, as it would either misappropriate evidence or destroy potential evidence.