Houston police have been experiencing a problem with drug-addicted rats consuming narcotics seized as evidence, prompting changes in how they handle and dispose of drugs stored in evidence rooms. City officials, including Mayor John Whitmire, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, and Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz, announced new procedures to address the issue. They stated that about 1.2 million pieces of evidence, including hundreds of thousands of pounds of drugs, are stored in evidence rooms downtown and at a property warehouse. Teare’s office will now destroy drug evidence collected before 2015 that is no longer needed for cases, as opposed to the previous rule that required evidence to date back to before 2005. A senior attorney has been appointed to work with law enforcement to dispose of evidence immediately after a case is completed. Recently, defense attorneys were notified by prosecutors that rats had been consuming drugs in the evidence room, although only one case was affected by the rodent issue. Houston Forensic Science Center President Peter Stout highlighted that evidence storage rooms nationwide are susceptible to rodent and critter infestation due to the attraction of drugs. Diaz emphasized the importance of properly disposing of evidence that no longer holds value in the legal system to avoid attracting rodents. The issue was further illustrated by showcasing cocaine and marijuana seized in the 1990s. Diaz stated that as a professional police agency, they cannot continue to allow evidence to be compromised by rodent activity.
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