Mishandling in Newport Police Evidence Room

Washington County Sheriff Bill Hutton has reported that his department has found numerous incidents of negligence and mishandling in the evidence and property room of the Newport Police Department. The sheriff’s department has been under contract to assist the Newport police since the retirement of Newport police chief Curt Montgomery in September. In a memo to Newport City Administrator Deb Hill, Hutton revealed that proper records could not be found for 14 guns, money and evidence from 1100 cases. Hutton said security for the property room was “basically nonexistent” and that keys for the room and the chief’s office were kept out in the open squad room. In the memo, Hutton also stated that several sexual assault kits were not kept in the freezer as required, but on property room shelves where they would lose their “evidentiary value”. On Thursday, the Newport City Council agreed to call for an investigation into the matter by an independent law enforcement agency, preferably from outside of Washington County. The council will also debate extending the city’s contract with the sheriff’s department that expires at the end of the year.