LAS VEGAS — For many agencies, chain of custody isn’t ignored – it’s unresolved.
From the moment evidence leaves a crime scene, it passes through multiple hands, locations and systems. Each transfer creates risk. And as defense attorneys know, chain-of-custody challenges are often the first line of attack long before a case ever reaches trial.
According to Steve Atkinson, director of government business development at Traka, that vulnerability is driving a surge of interest in electronic management solutions designed specifically to protect evidence integrity from intake through forensic review.
Where chain of custody breaks down
The biggest breakdown doesn’t usually happen in the evidence room. It happens during the handoff.
“The real challenge is the transition between the crime scene and the forensic evaluation,” Atkinson said. “That’s where evidence is most often handled, moved and exposed to risk.”
Traditional processes rely heavily on manual documentation and personal accountability. Evidence may be temporarily stored on desks, transported, unsecured or logged inconsistently – creating gaps defense attorneys are quick to exploit.
“Once chain of custody is challenged, prosecutors are immediately on their heels,” Atkinson said. “If there’s any question that evidence could have been tampered with, it weakens the entire case.”
Securing evidence across the lifecycle
Traka’s intelligent evidence locker systems are designed to lock down those transitions.
The system uses electronically controlled lockers that include audit trails that track who accessed evidence, when it was removed, how long it was out and when it was returned. RFID tagging allows agencies to confirm that the same item placed into a locker is the same item being retrieved.
“When you have a case, all of that evidence stays together in one secure location,” Atkinson said. “Phones, laptops, tablets, power devices – everything tied to that case is stored and tracked together.”
Each access event is automatically recorded, creating a defensible, auditable chain of custody that follows the evidence from intake through forensic analysis and beyond.
Addressing the risks of digital evidence
Digital evidence introduces a new set of vulnerabilities that many agencies are still working to address.
Cell phones can be remotely wiped. Batteries can drain. Data can be altered if devices receive external signals. And those risks don’t disappear just because evidence is logged correctly.
To counter that, Traka is Faraday bag-compatible, which integrates signal-blocking protection directly into its locker systems. Electronic devices stored in the lockers are shielded from incoming and outgoing signals, preventing remote access or data manipulation. The Traka intelligent locker can deliver power to connected Faraday bags, helping ensure phones, tablets and laptops remain charged while awaiting forensic examination.
“A suspect can’t dial into their phone and wipe it,” Atkinson said. “No signal goes in, no signal comes out.”
That protection remains in place through forensic testing, where devices can be accessed and analyzed without exposure to outside interference.
Accountability that protects officers and agencies
For chiefs and command staff, the value isn’t just about evidence – it’s about accountability.
“When evidence is compromised, it falls back on the agency,” Atkinson said. “Not the prosecutor. Not the courts. The police department.”
Traka’s system ties access permissions directly to personnel credentials, allowing agencies to control who can access specific cases while maintaining a clear audit trail. That transparency protects officers, supervisors and evidence technicians alike.
Agencies already using the system report fewer conflicts with prosecutors and greater confidence in court.
“We’re hearing, ‘We’re not getting yelled at by the prosecutor’s office anymore,’” Atkinson said. “We’re not losing cases we shouldn’t lose. And we’re not wasting public dollars prosecuting cases that fall apart because of chain-of-custody issues.”
A growing priority for police leaders
Atkinson said evidence management has become the most common topic he hears from chiefs nationwide.
“It’s always evidence lockers,” he said. “Not weapons. Not radios. Evidence management comes up every single time.”
That consistent demand has driven Traka to invest heavily in expanding its evidence-specific locker solutions, including future enhancements that will allow agencies to inventory entire lockers instantly.
The goal, Atkinson said, is to continue improving auditability, affordability and adoption – turning what is now a vulnerability into a standard of practice.
“Every case has evidence,” he said. “If we can protect that evidence, we protect the case, the officers and the community.”
Top takeaway for police leaders
Chain-of-custody failures most often occur during evidence handoffs, not inside the evidence room itself. Systems that electronically control access, document every transfer and protect both physical and digital evidence can reduce case risk, strengthen prosecutor confidence and shield agencies from preventable accountability gaps.
