(a) Stolen property recovered by a City police officer or abandoned personal property discovered by a City police officer, which property remains unclaimed for six months after recovery or discovery, and which property is not evidence in criminal litigation, shall be disposed of as provided in this section.
(b) Any personal property, including money, which remains unclaimed for six months, may be converted to City use pursuant to this subsection. The City shall publish a notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the county describing the property, including money, to be converted to City use. Within six months after publication of such notice, a person may file a claim for the converted property and, upon proving a right to the property, shall be entitled to the return of such property. Claims for converted property may not be filed more than six months after the date of publication.
(c) Any and all remaining unclaimed personal property not converted to City use shall be disposed of at sale as provided in this section. Money which, because of age, origin, metal content or value as a collector's item, may be appraised to determine if it has a value other than its face value. Money which does not have a value other than its face value shall not be subject to public sale. The City shall publish a notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the County not less than five days before the proposed sale of property. The notice shall describe the property and shall state the time and place for the public sale at which the property may be purchased by the highest bidder. Until the date of sale, property may be claimed at the Police Department. If ownership of the property is adequately proven, the property shall be turned over to the owner and the item removed from sale.
(d) After the City has conducted the sale of the remaining unclaimed property, the proceeds of the sale, along with money not subject to public sale, after deducting costs for the sale, including reasonable appraisal fees, shall be deposited with the City Treasurer to be credited to the General Fund. If, within six months after the sale, the owner of the property files with the City Clerk a claim for the property and proves a right to the property, the City Treasurer shall pay the owner the amount out of the proceeds of the sale or the face value of money not subject to public sale. However, claims filed more than six months after the sale shall not be paid.
(e) Any City official or employee disposing of property as provided in this section shall not be liable to the owner of such property.
(f) (1) Notwithstanding any provision in this chapter to the contrary, property of minor value, as defined by Act 273 of the Public Acts of 1987, being M.C.L.A. 434.21, shall be disposed of according to this subsection.
(2) Property of minor value recovered or found by a City police officer, or by a person who has not expressed the wish to receive the property if not claimed by the legal owner, may, after a period of three months, be disposed of in any manner by the Police Department.
(3) Disposition by the Police Department of property of minor value may include, but is not limited to, retention by the City for its use; public sale with proceeds deposited into the General Fund of the City; or release to a charitable, educational or service organization.
(Ord. 34-85. Passed 11-12-85; Ord. 15-00. Passed 6-20-00; Ord. 03-07. Passed 4-17-07.)