CRIME LAB STORAGE ORGANIZED DOWN TO THE LAST VIAL
A crime lab moves evidence through a lot of hands: receiving, prep, analysis, documentation, review, return. Firearms, toxicology, trace evidence, and latent prints all work differently, and none of it can wait while someone hunts for a missing vial or an open bench.
CRIME LAB STORAGE Instruments, reagents, reference samples, and case files all compete for the same bench space, and none of it shrinks to make room. We build crime lab storage around how analysis actually works, not around whatever’s piled up over the years. Better Crime Lab Storage Delivers: Faster Analysis: The reference sample is exactly where the log says it should be, so a search doesn’t turn into the reason a case falls behind schedule. Tighter Chain of Custody: One vial, one drawer, no mix-ups, so evidence integrity holds up from the bench all the way to testimony. More Bench Space: Storage that gives space back instead of taking it, so a lab that’s outgrown its layout doesn’t need to outgrow its building too.
A Lab Storage System Built Around the Way Crime Labs Work. A crime lab moves evidence through a lot of steps, and every discipline puts its own demands on storage. Here’s how each area earns its keep:
Lab Workstations & Processing Areas:
Trace Evidence & Lab Sample Storage:
The work happens at the bench, not on a shelf. Modular casework moves with the analysis, while heavy-duty workstations bring chemicalresistant, ESD-safe surfaces to demanding prep work.
A single case can generate slides, vials, and packets by the dozen, none big enough to matter until nobody can find the one that does. Modular drawer cabinets give each its own labeled spot, so the right one is a single pull away.
Instruments & Lab Equipment Storage: Firearms examiners, toxicologists, and trace analysts all use different instruments, but everything needs to stay close to the work. Stainless steel cabinets keep it protected; highdensity mobile shelving gives calibration gear room to grow without touching bench space.
Reagents, Supplies & PPE:
Reference & Comparison Collections:
Casework Records & Documentation:
A reference collection is really a library: fibers, glass, paint, known samples, all cataloged so analysts can pull an exact match on demand. Modular drawer cabinets give each one its own labeled compartment, keeping a growing collection compact.
Case packets, procedure manuals, and quality records pile up almost as fast as results, whether they’re pulled weekly or held for an audit. Rotary file cabinets pack dense filing into a fraction of the footprint.
Gloves and swabs get grabbed constantly, while reserve inventory can sit for weeks. Static shelving keeps everyday items in reach, and personal storage lockers give each analyst’s PPE a dedicated spot of its own.
Why Patterson Pope? A crime lab doesn’t run one process. It runs six: receiving, prep, analysis, documentation, review, and return, often for the same case at once. We build storage that holds up through every stage, not just the one it started in. We’re not just a shelving vendor. Firearms, toxicology, trace evidence, and latent prints all work differently, so we plan space and workflow to flex across disciplines instead of forcing one setup on all of them. That’s the difference between storage that works today and storage that still holds up years from now.
Let’s plan your crime lab storage.
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