This is an excerpt that came from our Property & Evidence Submission Manual:
14. HAZARDOUS, EXPLOSIVE, OR FLAMMABLE MATERIALS
• Hazardous Materials are any flammable or combustible liquids, substances or minerals, caustic acids, explosives, hazardous chemicals or other substances and materials that could be hazardous to the health or well-being of humans.
• Hazardous Materials do not include spray paint cans, model glue, nail polish remover or any other item commonly and safely stored in the living area of a home.
• Hazardous Materials may only be submitted to a temporary holding bay located at the Sheriff’s Office Impound Yard.
• Hazardous Materials should only be submitted in cases where they are evidence in a crime. In other circumstances, such as found property, a HAZMAT Team should be contacted to properly dispose of the materials.
• If there is any question about the safety of the Hazardous Material evidence being submitted it must be examined and either be deemed or rendered safe by a HAZMAT Team prior to being submitted.
• Explosive Materials include military, commercial and homemade explosive devices, fireworks of the size and type restricted to professional displays, and homemade or commercial explosive materials such as TNT, blasting caps, and nitroglycerin.
• Explosive Materials do not include intact handgun or rifle ammunition, small volumes of black or smokeless gunpowder in the original canisters, small fireworks intended for commercial sale such as bottle rockets and firecrackers, nitroglycerin medication or other items commonly and safely stored in the living area of a home.
• Explosives and explosive materials will not be submitted into evidence at any Sheriff’s Office facility.
• The State Fire Marshall, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, or Patrick Air Force Base should be contacted, as appropriate, to take custody of the explosive.
• Once the material or device has been rendered safe, it, or its remains, may be submitted if the item has evidentiary value.
• Flammable Materials include gasoline, kerosene, flammable solvents, LP gas and lighter fluid. It also includes any item containing these items such as oily rags, gasoline engines, LP gas grills, camp stoves, and gas heaters.
• Flammable Materials should only be submitted to a temporary holding bay located at the Sheriff’s Office Impound Yard and should never be submitted into lockers at any of the Sheriff’s Office Evidence Packaging Rooms.
• Flammable liquids or gases should only be submitted into evidence if they are inside a container designed to safely hold that material.
A RULE TO FOLLOW WHEN SUBMITTING HAZARDOUS, EXPLOSIVE, OR FLAMMABLE MATERIALS:
IF THE ITEM SHOULD NOT BE STORED INSIDE THE LIVING AREA OF A HOME, DO NOT SUBMIT IT INTO ANY OF THE PACKAGING ROOMS.