The Property and Evidence Unit has the overall mission to take in, catalog, safeguard, store, produce, return to legal owner, or legally dispose of all property and evidence in the custody of the City of Miami Police Department as required. Much of the items managed by the Property and Evidence Unit is evidence required for criminal cases. However, Property and Evidence personnel are also responsible for the managing found property, decedent's property, seized contraband, as well as property confiscated for forfeiture proceedings.

The property received by this unit includes money, credit cards, narcotics, jewelry, firearms, various other weapons, general property of every description and value, and a wide range of vehicles. The incoming property is classified according to the nature of the acquisition, in other words, as evidence, found property, personal property, or confiscated property. All the property is further categorized according to specific types (money, narcotics, valuables, firearms, and warehouse items) and are subject to strict legal and processing constraints.

Evidence items are regularly signed out for presentation in criminal court proceedings. In some cases, evidence may be retained for extended periods of time, as criminal cases and potential appeals may require them at any time in the future. Property that can be legally returned to its rightful owner (or the owner’s representative) is processed in a timely manner. Narcotics, illegal firearms, and seized contraband are destroyed when they are no longer required for legal proceedings.

State-of-the-art software and equipment are utilized to facilitate accurate and efficient property and evidence management throughout each stage, from initial entry to final disposition.