Non-emergency City Offices will be closed Monday, April 1 in observance of 
Cesar Chavez Day.

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Contact Us

Santa Barbara Police Department
215 East Figueroa Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

(805) 897-2300 (805) 897-2434 Fax
In case of emergency, call 9-1-1   
Non-Emergency Dispatch, 805-882-8900

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Property & Evidence

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Police Property & Evidence

The Property Room is open Monday through Thursday (closed holidays) from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  We may be contacted at 805-897-2375.

Property Retrieval

  • All Property Retrieval is by Appointment Only.
  • Safekeeping-Safekeeping property may be claimed by appointment only. You will need your agency case number and a government issued identification. To schedule an appointment contact 805-897-2375.
  • Found Property – Found Property belonging to you may be claimed by appointment only. You will need your agency case number and a government issued identification (with the exception that you are retrieving your identification).
  • Found Property Claims- Per CA Civil Code Section 2080-2080.10, the finder may claim the property after 90 days and relinquishes claim after an additional 10 days. For items valued in excess of $250, the finder shall publish notice of the property in a newspaper of general circulation for 7 days. If the property remains unclaimed, the finder shall bring in a copy of the published notice at the time of their appointment to claim the found item.
  • Evidence Retrieval- The Property & Evidence Room is a storage facility only and no decisions will be made by the staff regarding the return of evidence. Evidence may be released with prior authorization from the case detective/investigating officer, by Court Order, or with a Property Release Authorization Form from the District Attorney’s Office. The District Attorney’s Office is located at 1112 Santa Barbara St. It is suggested that your attorney request the return of items at the time your case is concluded. When we have received authorization for the release of your items, you will be contacted to schedule an appointment.
  • Third Party Property Retrieval- You may have another individual retrieve your property for you with a notarized authorization from you stating the person’s name that will be claiming the property,  if it is stipulated on the District Attorney’s Property Release Authorization, or the arrestee’s safekeeping notice.

Shipping of Property

Prior arrangements may be made to ship items out of the area. We require a mailed or faxed (fax # 805-897-2434) notarized authorization including the agency case number, your name and address, and must state that ‘You do not hold the City of Santa Barbara nor the Santa Barbara Police Department liable for loss or damage during the course of shipping’. Shipping must be arranged and paid for in advance by you through FedEx or UPS and the Property Room provided with a label. After shipping arrangements have been made, contact the Property Room so that the item may be prepared for shipment.

Lost Property

A police report should be filed as soon as possible and may be done so online or in person at the Santa Barbara Police Department. It is extremely helpful to obtain serial numbers for any serialized items that were lost. You may contact the Property Room to check if the item has been turned in at 805-897-2375.