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SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - When $2,000 went missing from a Taraval Station evidence locker in 2006, fingers pointed to a 30-year-old officer who was assigned to the desk job, which included handling evidence, after her involvement in the fatal shooting of an unarmed suspect.
The San Francisco Police Department’s special investigations section began collecting evidence and handed it to a grand jury, which indicted Officer Michelle Alvis, a five-year veteran of the department, on Friday.
Alvis, however, denied the claims Tuesday, pleading not guilty in Superior Court to grand theft, filing a false report, preparing false documentary evidence, and two counts of theft or falsification of a government document. Her attorney, Lidia Stiglich said that the case is circumstantial and the money was, “a small amount at a big station.”
The $2,000 allegedly disappeared as it was being transferred to an evidence locker at Taraval Station on Oct. 31, 2006, according to Stiglich. Details are still unclear because the grand jury indictment has yet to be unsealed and Stiglich said she has yet to view discovery evidence in the case.
Alvis was assigned as a station keeper after her involvement in the June 2006 killing of a 25-year-old, Asa Sullivan, in the attic of a Villas Parkmerced apartment. Stiglich said since Alvis’ job required her to sign for evidence she inventoried, it would be too obvious for her to take cash evidence.
“Anyone could have taken that money,” Stiglich said. “It would make less sense to take money with your name on it.”
Alvis was arrested Friday, taken to jail and released later that day on $30,000 bail. She is scheduled to be back in court next week to set a date for trial. If convicted, she faces up to three years in prison for grand theft and four years for falsifying records as a custodial officer.
Alvis is already part of a Police Commission probe in the killing of Sullivan. His family is suing the department in federal court for $10 million.
Attorney Jim Burris said Alvis’ arrest could have an effect on whether she is able to testify in the upcoming trial.
The San Francisco Police Commission has the power to dismiss an officer and will take up the case if the officer is convicted in court.
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ARTICLE HISTORY 
Comments from Examiner Readers
6:21 PM MST on Tue., May. 20, 2008 re: "Officer in charge of evidence accused of theft"
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1:45 PM MST on Wed., Apr. 16, 2008
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9:12 AM MST on Tue., Apr. 15, 2008
re: "Officer in charge of evidence accused of theft"
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Examiner Reader said:
She is a liar and a murderer! Asa should be alive today. When will it stop?! What is wrong with our society when police take a life or beat someone for there own satisfaction or in the name of the law, we accept it. Is that justified? What if it happened to your family? Would they deserve it becuase the officer was just doing their job? Makes me think if they are so afraid of the dark then why do they become officers. When they get caught breaking the law, they lie to get a slap on the wrist. They are not the law and should be held accountable for their wrong doing and go to prison. She did it and will lie to save herself, by God and under oath. The truth is why they look at us as the criminals and act to treat us as so. Excuse after lie, with no honor or integrity. They should have survallience cameras in their place of work as well as on their person to rule out the real truth. Who do they work for: themselves, the public or true justice. The world needs to know. Peace.
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Examiner Reader said:
Things like this do happen, and some Police Officers do things they shouldn't. The wagons are being circled by the Police Union, the criminal case will proceed, and the ultimate outcome will be determined by a jury! Is it drug related? Is it financial hardship related (even though paid well)? Does she have Department known questionable traits? Did she fool the Dept.'s Lie Detector test when a Candidate for hiring? Is there some past family history that will give light to what she's about (like bad check writing, anger problems, relationship problems, etc., that were NOT explored when considered)? Was she possibly "high" when she helped kill Asa? Was she tested afterwards? These are subjects that the Press and Grand Jury, as well as the D.A.'s OIffice should get answers to. A bad Cop is as bad as a good criminal! Trust? Of course, she's "innocent" until proven otherwise! America, what a Country!
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Examiner Reader said:
There has to be a joke in here somewhere, much like the one about the SFPD cop that was so dumb that the others actually noticed. "Did you hear about the SFPD cop that was so corrupt, the others were appalled?"
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