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Evidence Storage Mobile Shelving for Weslaco Police Department

Material Handling USA designed, delivered, and installed an Aurora mechanical-assist mobile shelving system for the Weslaco Police Department’s evidence room in Weslaco, Texas — roughly doubling secure storage capacity without adding a single square foot.

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Aurora mobile shelving with tan end panels and three-spoke handle at Weslaco Police Department

~2x

Storage Capacity vs. Static Shelving

8

Shelf Levels Per Section

48″×24″

Section Dimensions

37,000 sq ft

New Public Safety Building

About the Weslaco Police Department

Aurora mobile shelving three-spoke mechanical-assist handle and tan end panel at Weslaco Police Department — Mechanical-assist handle detail, Weslaco PD evidence room

The Weslaco Police Department serves the City of Weslaco in Hidalgo County, Texas, in the Rio
Grande Valley near the southern tip of the state. With a population of roughly 40,000 residents,
Weslaco is one of the fastest-growing communities in the Rio Grande Valley, and its police
department handles patrol, criminal investigations, community policing, and public safety services
for the entire city.

In October 2023 the department moved into a new, roughly 37,000-square-foot Public Safety
Building at 300 S. Bridge Avenue — an approximately $8.3 million project that replaced a facility
more than 40 years old. A new building was the department’s opportunity to design an evidence room
that could scale with a growing city instead of repeating the space constraints of the old
headquarters.

The Situation

Law enforcement agencies nationwide face the same growing challenge: evidence storage. As cases
accumulate over years, departments must securely store physical evidence ranging from documents and
personal property to forensic samples and recovered items. Federal and state retention requirements
often mandate that evidence be preserved for years, sometimes decades, before it can be released or
destroyed.

📦

Growing Case Volume

A growing city means a growing caseload — and every case adds boxes, bags, and containers that must stay in chain-of-custody storage indefinitely.

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Wasted Floor Space

Traditional static shelving dedicates roughly half its floor area to fixed access aisles instead of usable storage.

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Chain-of-Custody Requirements

Every item must remain organized, traceable, and access-controlled — not just stored.

The Weslaco Police Department needed a system that could maximize the
capacity of its new evidence room while maintaining strict chain-of-custody control — without the
cost or disruption of building additional space.

The Solution

Interior view of Aurora mobile shelving at Weslaco Police Department showing eight shelf levels with dividers for evidence organization — Eight shelf levels with built-in dividers for evidence categorization

Material Handling USA designed and installed an Aurora mechanical-assist mobile shelving
system configured specifically for the Weslaco Police Department’s evidence room. The
system uses an ACTIVE A109 layout with multiple double-entry shelving carriages
mounted on a rail track system, moved by hand-wheel mechanical-assist mechanisms rather than fixed
static shelving.

Each shelving section measures 48 inches wide by 24 inches deep, providing
substantial depth for evidence boxes, bags, and containers. With 8 shelf levels per
section and 2 dividers per shelf, the system creates organized,
compartmentalized storage for proper evidence categorization and chain-of-custody tracking. The
complete package included steel end panels, a twin-ramp rail system, freight delivery, and
professional installation.

Manufacturer

The system is manufactured by Aurora Storage Products, Inc. (Aurora, IL), whose Mechanical Assist Low Profile mobile shelving line and Twin Ramp rail system are documented in the manufacturer’s own installation manual and case studies. The Twin Ramp track installs directly on the existing floor, eliminating the cost and disruption of a raised sub-floor.

System Layout Drawing

The CAD floor plan below shows the actual ACTIVE A109 mobile
shelving configuration engineered for the Weslaco Police Department evidence room — three
double-entry carriages, each divided into 48″×24″ sections, seven shelf levels visible in profile
plus a top shelf, at roughly 7’10” tall.

System Features

Front view of Aurora mobile shelving carriages at Weslaco Police Department — Front view of the completed carriage installation

🗄️

8 Shelf Levels Per Section

Maximizes vertical storage within the room’s height for evidence boxes, bags, and containers.

🧩

2 Dividers Per Shelf

Built-in dividers create organized compartments for separating evidence by case number or category.

🛡️

Steel End Panels

Durable tan steel end panels protect stored evidence from dust, light exposure, and incidental contact.

🛤️

Twin Ramp Track System

Eliminates the need for an expensive raised sub-floor, keeping the track flush with the existing floor.

⚙️

Mechanical-Assist Handles

Ergonomic three-spoke handles with geared drive mechanisms allow smooth operation even when carriages are fully loaded.

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Integrated Safety Locks

Each handle includes an aisle safety lock to prevent unintended carriage movement while personnel are working inside the system.

Benefits

Twin ramp track system and mobile shelving carriages installed at Weslaco Police Department — Twin-ramp rail track installed flush with the existing floor

The twin-ramp track shown here installs directly on the existing floor slab, so no raised sub-floor or structural modification was needed before the mobile carriages could be set in place.

📈

Doubled Storage Capacity

The mobile shelving system approximately doubles the evidence storage capacity of the existing room compared to static shelving — supporting retention requirements for years to come.

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Chain-of-Custody Compliance

Organized shelving with dividers, clear sightlines, and lockable aisles support the rigorous chain-of-custody documentation required in criminal cases.

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Space Cost Avoidance

By maximizing the existing evidence room instead of building new space, the department avoids significant construction or leasing costs on taxpayer-funded budgets.

⏱️

Officer Efficiency

Evidence technicians and detectives can locate and retrieve items faster thanks to the organized layout with labeled shelves and dividers.

The Mobile Shelving Advantage

For a mid-size department like Weslaco’s, the advantage of mobile shelving over static shelving
is straightforward: it roughly doubles the storage capacity of the existing evidence room without
requiring construction, renovation, or relocation. As Weslaco’s population grows and case volume
increases, the evidence room needs to scale accordingly — the mobile shelving system provides years
of additional capacity within the room the department already has.

Metric	Static Shelving	Aurora Mobile Shelving
Access aisles required	One aisle per shelving row	One shared aisle for the entire bank
Approx. storage capacity in same footprint	Baseline	~2x baseline
New construction required to add capacity	Often yes	No — same room
Shelf levels per section (this project)	N/A	8
Section footprint (this project)	N/A	48″ W × 24″ D

Return on Investment

Return on investment for evidence storage mobile shelving is measured primarily in avoided
construction costs. Building or renovating an evidence room can cost hundreds of thousands of
dollars. A mobile shelving system delivers equivalent or greater storage capacity within the
existing room at a fraction of that cost. Additional ROI comes from reduced labor for evidence
retrieval, fewer handling errors, and improved audit readiness during case reviews or accreditation
inspections.

Planning an Evidence Room for a New or Renovated Facility?

Material Handling USA designs mobile shelving evidence storage systems for police departments, sheriff’s offices, and government facilities nationwide, with GSA contract pricing available.

Request a Free Quote Explore Mobile Shelving Call (800) 326-4403

Installation and Project Process

Material Handling USA managed the full project for the Weslaco Police Department — consultation,
design, delivery, and professional installation. The twin-ramp track system installed directly on
the existing floor slab, eliminating the need for a raised sub-floor build-up and reducing
installation time, cost, and disruption to the department’s daily operations during move-in to the
new Public Safety Building.

Assessment

On-site facility measurement and evidence-room needs analysis.

Design

Custom ACTIVE A109 layout engineered for the room and expected case volume.

Delivery

All shelving, carriages, and rail components shipped and staged at the facility.

Installation

Professional track installation, assembly, leveling, and anchoring.

Why This Matters for Agencies Across South Texas

Weslaco sits in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley, one of the fastest-growing regions in Texas.
Police departments, sheriff’s offices, and county facilities throughout Hidalgo County, Cameron
County, and Starr County face the same evidence storage pressure as their populations expand.
Mobile shelving provides a proven, cost-effective solution that fits within municipal and county
budgets without a capital construction project.

Material Handling USA serves law enforcement agencies and government facilities across Texas and
the western United States with expert design, GSA contract pricing availability, and professional
installation for evidence storage solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is mobile shelving for evidence storage?

Mobile shelving for evidence storage is a high-density shelving system mounted on carriages that roll on floor tracks. Aisles open only where needed, letting a department store significantly more evidence in the same room compared to fixed static shelving.

How much floor space can mobile shelving save?

Mobile shelving typically saves 40% to 50% of floor space by eliminating fixed aisles, approximately doubling storage capacity within the same room dimensions.

Is mobile shelving secure enough for police evidence storage?

Yes. Mobile shelving systems include integrated aisle safety locks, and optional keyed locks or electronic access controls can restrict access to authorized personnel only.

Can mobile shelving support the weight of heavy evidence items?

Aurora mechanical-assist mobile shelving carriages are engineered to carry substantial distributed loads per linear foot of carriage, handling heavy items such as recovered equipment and bulk evidence containers — ask your Material Handling USA specialist for the exact load rating for your configuration.

Is this system available through a GSA contract?

Yes. Aurora mobile shelving is available through GSA Contract pricing, making it accessible to federal, state, and local government agencies with streamlined procurement.

Does Material Handling USA install mobile shelving in Texas?

Yes. Material Handling USA provides design, delivery, and professional installation for mobile shelving systems throughout Texas, including the Rio Grande Valley, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Austin.

Does mobile shelving meet law enforcement evidence storage best practices?

Mobile shelving supports law enforcement evidence storage best practices, including organized categorization, chain-of-custody tracking, and secure, access-controlled aisles.

Need Evidence Storage for Your Police Department or Agency?

Material Handling USA designs and installs mobile shelving systems for law enforcement agencies, government facilities, and businesses across the United States. Call (800) 326-4403 or request a free quote today.

Request a Quote Call (800) 326-4403