Capability overview · October 2026Property & Evidence Management
GearDesk is a cloud-hosted evidence management system for law enforcement. Officers, detectives, Crime Scene personnel and the Evidence Unit work from one signed, append-only chain of custody, with barcode labels, optional RFID tracking, lab requests, retention and disposition built around it.
One system, every role
Officers book evidence quickly and get back on patrol. The Evidence Unit receives clean, labeled, reviewable intake. Detectives and supervisors see status without calling the property room.
Create the case and its items, print the label and sign the hand-off. Intake is a scan box and short forms, not a training course.
See every item on a case, where it is and who holds it. Request lab work and authorize release or disposition when the case allows.
Record packaging, seal numbers and collection details for many items per case, each with its own sequence number and label.
Receive, review, store, route and dispose. Storage aging, lab requests and the full custody chain sit on one screen per item.
Approve routed requests and dispositions, receive notifications, and review activity by district, substation or unit.
Roles, permissions, org-unit scoping and the audit log, with nothing to install on agency workstations or servers.
Intake to disposition
Each item's current stage, location and holder are derived from its custody chain, so the record cannot drift from what actually happened. Time in every stage is tracked to the hour.
Case and items, auto-numbered. Category, quantity and unit, make, model and serial; collected by, when and where.
Packaging type and seal number recorded; a Code 128 label prints on the spot.
Vaults, rooms, lockers and shelves at every site. Each move can be confirmed with a label scan.
Lab and testing requests to internal units, outside agencies or laboratories, with tracking and due dates.
Evidence Unit quality control. Corrections are added beside the original, never written over it.
A retention date on every item, with aging by stage and since collection.
Owner release, destruction or transfer, each signed, approved and documented.
Chain of custody
Check-out, check-in, transfer, testing, external transfer, disposal and destruction are refused without a signature, captured on screen by finger, stylus or mouse. Seal number, seal condition and an optional witness are recorded with it.
A mistake is corrected by adding an entry that points to the one it supersedes, with a reason. Database triggers refuse any change or deletion of a custody entry, so the rule holds even outside the application.
Views, prints and denied attempts on evidence records are logged. Sensitive cases require a clearance granted person by person; administrators do not inherit it.
| # | When | Event | Signed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 09/14/26 23:42 | CollectedOfc. J. Patel · scene | Drawn |
| 2 | 09/14/26 23:58 | Packaged and sealedSeal 448120 · intact | Drawn |
| 3 | 09/15/26 01:16 | Placed in storagePatel → Vault B, shelf 4 · label scanned | Drawn |
| 4 | 09/15/26 08:05 | Correction of entry 3Recorded shelf 4; item is on shelf 6. Entry 3 stays visible. | Reason given |
| 5 | 09/22/26 10:31 | Sent for testingVault B → regional crime lab · tracking 7741 | Witnessed |
The GearDesk label layout. The barcode is a valid Code 128 symbol from the same encoder the application uses.
Barcodes & hardware
Labels render as vector Code 128 in the browser and print through the standard Zebra Windows driver, sized to your label stock. Print one label or a batch; restricted cases print an access-controlled warning.
Works in the scanner's USB keyboard mode with no driver or plug-in. GearDesk tells a scan from typing by keystroke speed, so one field takes both with no mode switch.
Chrome and Edge, including Android devices, scan labels with the built-in camera. Manual entry is always available for a worn label.
Custody events can confirm the item by scanning its label, and the scan method and value are stored with the entry.
RFID tracking
Passive RAIN RFID tags go on evidence packages and equipment beside the barcode label. Readers at vault doors and handheld readers count and locate items in bulk, and GearDesk matches every read to the item, where it belongs and who has signed for it.
E-2026-0098-002Last custody entry: placed on shelf 2, 08/02MissingE-2025-1877-004Last custody entry: checked in to shelf 5, 06/18MissingE-2026-0131-001Expected on shelf 4, read on shelf 6Wrong shelfE-2026-0142-003Signed out to the regional crime lab, not expected hereOut for testingAn RFID printer encodes the tag while it prints the same Code 128 label, and the tag is bound to the item record.
Fixed readers at vault doors and lockers, and handheld readers for audits, read many tags at once.
Repeat reads are collapsed, and each tag is matched to its item, its expected location and its open custody.
Discrepancies become alerts and audit lists for the Evidence Unit to resolve, and to sign.
Readers at each opening record which items pass and when. An item leaving without an open check-out raises an alert for the Evidence Unit.
Walk a shelf with a handheld reader and GearDesk lists what is missing, on the wrong shelf, or present but not expected, without handling each package.
Handheld locate mode homes in on a single tag by signal strength, for the item a detective or the court needs now.
On-metal tags for firearms. Sealed drug and currency packages are confirmed present without breaking the seal.
Radios, vests, body cameras and duty firearms are tagged once. Confirm a kit's contents at issue and return, and audit the armory without handling each item.
Readers send reads outbound over HTTPS with a key per reader, so there is still no inbound firewall rule. Repeat reads are filtered before anything raises an alert.
RFID never writes the chain of custody. A tag seen at the vault door with no open check-out raises an alert; a person resolves it and signs, exactly as with a barcode scan. Raw reads are stored apart from custody entries, so a misread can never move evidence on paper.
Evidence Unit workflows
From lab requests to owner release, every workflow writes to the same custody chain and audit log, and every card is tagged with where it stands today.
Evidence Unit review of new intake. Corrections are appended with a reason and point at the entry they fix, so data is corrected without losing the audit trail.
Extends moduleRoute an item to a lab, unit or outside agency with a tracking number and a needed-back-by date. The request and the physical hand-off are recorded together, with turnaround aging against the due date.
Extends moduleRetention dates on every item from the agency default, with schedules by category and offense set to statute. Disposition authority is routed for approval before anything leaves.
Extends moduleDestruction is a signed, witnessed custody event. A destruction certificate is generated, and photos or video of the destruction can be attached.
Extends moduleVerify and record the owner's identity, capture the owner's signature on screen, and generate a release receipt that is logged with the item.
Extends moduleTargeted notifications in the app, by email and by text, de-duplicated and set per user. Approvals are gated by permission for officers, detectives and supervisors.
Extends moduleThreaded messages on the case or item, with notification to the recipient, so questions and answers stay with the evidence record.
ImplementationFirearms with make, model and serial; drugs by quantity and unit of measure; currency; long-term retention cases; hazardous-material flags and handling notes.
Extends moduleCourt orders, lab reports, photos, video and generated letters held on the case or item. A versioned forms library keeps the wording that was in force on any date.
Extends moduleVaults, rooms, lockers and shelves organized by site. Storage-duration aging shows what has occupied space longest, so items eligible for disposition are found and cleared.
In productStandard operational reports, a custom report builder and export to CSV, Excel and PDF, with an evidence pack covering intake volume, aging, lab turnaround and disposition backlog.
Extends moduleResponsive screens, touch signatures and camera scanning on phones and tablets, with a field intake flow for officers on scene, including photo upload.
Extends moduleIntegration & identity
GearDesk is the system of record for evidence custody. It connects to identity, records management and reporting through standard, documented interfaces.
Single sign-on with your Windows and Active Directory identities through Microsoft Entra ID (SAML 2.0 or OpenID Connect).
ImplementationCase and incident numbers looked up from Athena at intake, so evidence links to the report without re-keying. Interface scoped with the agency and Versaterm.
ImplementationDocumented JSON API over HTTPS with per-integration keys, for other records management, CAD and laboratory systems.
Implementation
Evidence system of record
One custody chain, one audit trail, one permission model.
Bulk import with every row checked and reported before anything is written; export any list for analysis or records requests.
In productNotifications, forms and generated documents delivered by email or text message, with every delivery attempt logged.
In productZD421 label printing and DS457 scanning from any agency workstation, through the browser.
In productCloud architecture & security
GearDesk is a hosted SaaS application. Staff use a web browser over HTTPS; there is no software to install on agency workstations, phones or servers, and no inbound firewall rule to approve.
Pillar Software Developers operates the application and its Microsoft Azure SQL Database. The database is private and not reachable from the internet; agencies connect over standard HTTPS on port 443.
Encrypted in transit and at rest. Azure SQL provides automated backups with point-in-time restore, and compute and storage scale without re-platforming.
Every record carries its agency, and every query filters on it. An automated check runs before each release to confirm no query can read across agencies.
Granular permissions for viewing, editing, custody, routing, approval and disposition, scoped to districts or units. Sensitive cases need an individual clearance.
Passwords hashed with bcrypt and never stored, account lockout after repeated failures, server-side sessions with a timeout set to your policy, and SSO when enabled.
Each change records the user, address, browser, time and the values before and after. Custody entries are append-only, enforced in the database.
RFI requirements coverage
The 23 technical and solution requirements and the three requested services, with how GearDesk meets each one. The tags separate what runs in production today from what is delivered during implementation.
| # | Requirement | Status | How GearDesk meets it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical & solution requirements | |||
| 01 | Cloud-based SaaS architecture: hosting model, security controls, reliability and scalability | In product | Hosted SaaS operated by Pillar Software Developers with data in Microsoft Azure SQL Database: encrypted in transit and at rest, automated backups with point-in-time restore, and every query isolated to your agency. Nothing is installed on agency devices. |
| 02 | Secure application access with Windows Authentication | Implementation | Single sign-on with Windows and Active Directory identities through Microsoft Entra ID (SAML 2.0 or OpenID Connect). Until it is enabled, GearDesk accounts use bcrypt-hashed passwords with lockout. |
| 03 | Integration with Versaterm's Athena | Implementation | Case and incident numbers looked up from Athena at intake so evidence links to the report without re-keying. The interface method is agreed with the agency and Versaterm during implementation. |
| 04 | Integration with other Records Management Systems using open APIs | Implementation | A documented REST API (JSON over HTTPS, per-integration keys) for cases, items, custody status and disposition. CSV and Excel import and export are available today. |
| 05 | Barcode workflows, mobile scanning, Zebra ZD421 printers and Zebra DS457 scanners | In product | Code 128 labels render in the browser and print through the standard Zebra driver, sized to the agency's ZD421 label stock during implementation. The DS457 works in USB keyboard mode with no plug-in, and GearDesk tells a scan from typing by speed. Camera scanning works in Chrome and Edge, including Android. |
| 06 | Evidence intake that streamlines item creation, categorization and labeling | In product | Case first, then items: auto-numbered and sequenced, categorized, with quantity and unit, make, model and serial, packaging and seal number, and who collected it, when and where. The label prints from the item record. |
| 07 | Evidence Unit review, quality control and audit-friendly data correction | Extends module | Corrections are appended entries that reference the entry they supersede, with a reason, and the original stays visible. The review queue and correction screens are delivered during implementation. |
| 08 | Processing and laboratory requests, including communication, tracking and SLA monitoring | Extends module | Items route to a lab, unit or outside agency with a tracking number and a needed-back-by date, and the request and custody hand-off are written together. Response screens, turnaround aging and overdue alerts complete it during implementation. |
| 09 | Storage and location management with barcode-driven movements and multi-vault organization | In product | Any number of vaults, rooms, lockers and shelves per site. Each move records the from and to location, the holder and the seal state, and can be confirmed by scanning the item's label. |
| 10 | Full chain of custody with signatures, timestamps and immutable audit logging | In product | A signature is required for every change of possession, and every entry carries the server timestamp, user and IP address. Database triggers refuse any edit or deletion of a custody entry. |
| 11 | Configurable retention and disposition aligned with statutory requirements | Extends module | Every item carries a retention date from the agency default, storage aging finds items due for review, and disposition authority routes for approval. Statutory schedules by category and offense are configured during implementation. |
| 12 | Notification and approval workflows for officers, detectives and supervisors | Extends module | The notification engine (in app, email and text) is in the product, with de-duplication and per-user preferences, and approvals are gated by permission. Evidence-specific triggers are configured during implementation. |
| 13 | Destruction processes, including documentation, certification and optional media attachment | Extends module | Destruction is a signed, witnessed custody event today. Certificate generation and photo or video attachment are delivered during implementation on the existing document and attachment services. |
| 14 | Owner release with identity verification, signatures and receipt generation | Extends module | Release is a signed disposition event, and receipts come from the same document engine GearDesk uses for equipment today. Identity-verification fields and the release receipt are added during implementation. |
| 15 | Messaging between officers and Evidence Unit staff | Implementation | Threaded messages on the case or item, with notification to the recipient, so questions and answers stay with the evidence record. |
| 16 | Role-based access controls appropriate for law enforcement | In product | Separate permissions to view, edit, record custody, route, approve and dispose; scoping to districts or units; and per-person clearance for sensitive cases. Views, prints and denied attempts are logged. |
| 17 | Reporting and analytics: standard operational reports, custom reports and data export | Extends module | The report engine, custom reports and CSV, Excel and PDF export are in the product, as is evidence storage-duration aging. The evidence report pack is delivered during implementation. |
| 18 | Specialized categories: firearms, drugs, currency, long-term retention and hazardous materials | Extends module | Categories for weapons, drugs, currency, biological, digital and documents, with quantity, unit of measure and serial numbers, and per-item retention dates. Hazardous-material flags and currency counts are added during implementation. |
| 19 | Mobile capabilities for scanning, signatures, document uploads and field workflows | Extends module | Screens are responsive, signatures work by finger or stylus, and camera scanning works on Android. A field intake flow with photo upload in the officer mobile portal is delivered during implementation. |
| 20 | Digital document management for court orders, lab reports, photos and generated letters | Extends module | A versioned forms library with print, email and text delivery, every delivery logged, is in the product. Photo, video, document and audio attachments on cases and items are in the data model; the upload and viewer screens are delivered during implementation. |
| 21 | User-friendly interface for Evidence staff and officers with minimal training | In product | One consistent interface, scan-first entry, sortable and searchable lists on every screen, and a built-in user manual. |
| 22 | Scalability for current evidence volume and long-term growth | In product | Indexes by agency, case, stage and date keep lists fast as volume grows, and Azure SQL scales compute and storage without migration. |
| 23 | Workspace organization for limited storage environments | In product | The location hierarchy and storage-duration aging show what is occupying space and for how long, so items eligible for disposition are found and cleared. |
| Requested services | |||
| S1 | Full software solution with complete support and maintenance | Included | Hosting, monitoring, application updates, security patches, database backups and help-desk support for the life of the subscription. |
| S2 | Software implementation services | Included | Discovery and workflow design, configuration, integration, role-based training and go-live support, delivered by the team that builds GearDesk. |
| S3 | Data transfer and ingestion of current evidence data | Included | Extract, map and convert cases, items, locations and custody history, with dry runs, row-level validation and count reconciliation before sign-off. |
No requirements match this filter.
ImplementationBeyond the requested scope: RFID tracking of evidence and equipment, delivered as an optional module.
Services
The people who build GearDesk implement it, convert your data and support it afterward. Nothing is handed to a reseller.
Map intake, storage, lab, retention and disposition practice. Confirm statutory retention schedules and approval chains.
Roles and permissions, sites and vaults, categories, label stock, notifications, forms and letters.
Mapping, dry runs, reconciliation and sign-off before cutover.
Role-based sessions for the Evidence Unit, officers, detectives and supervisors, backed by the built-in manual.
Cutover with on-call support, then ongoing maintenance, updates and help desk.
Hosting, monitoring, application updates, security patches and database backups for the life of the subscription, with help-desk support for your administrators and Evidence Unit.
Integrations, sign-in, labels, notifications and retention schedules are configured with your team, then proven in a test environment before go-live. An optional RFID rollout adds a site survey, tag selection, and reader placement and tuning.
Also on the platform
GearDesk began as law enforcement equipment management. Agencies that want both run them under one sign-in, one permission model and one audit trail.
Issue gear to officers, inspect it on return, and send it to repair, back to stock or out of service.
Officers see assigned gear, order equipment, track pickup and start returns from their phone.
Every physical movement is recorded, and stock counts are derived from the ledger rather than typed.
Orders are staged in labeled bins and released with badge verification and a custody record.
Vehicles as storage locations, duty firearm records, and ammunition lots with expiry alerts.
A versioned forms library, generated receipts and custody reports, and a log of every delivery.
Next step
We will walk your Evidence Unit and IT team through intake, custody, lab requests, retention and disposition, and answer your security questionnaire.