(A) The Director of Public Safety is hereby authorized to accept all contraband or other property seized as part of a criminal investigation or prosecution and forfeited to the city or pursuant to federal law and required to be used for law enforcement purposes.
(B) Property forfeited to the city and accepted by the Director of Public Safety pursuant to division (A) hereof may be destroyed or retained by the city to be used solely in the Police Department for law enforcement purposes, as determined by the Director of Public Safety. Property forfeited to the city may be sold, following notice, and without appraisal, at a public auction to the highest bidder for cash, upon the recommendation of the Director of Public Safety.
(C) In accordance with state law, there is hereby established the Law Enforcement Trust Fund. All money and the proceeds of the sale of other property forfeited to the city pursuant to state law or pursuant to federal law and required to be used for law enforcement purposes, except as may be required by law to be disposed of in another manner, shall be credited to the Law Enforcement Trust Fund.
(D) If property forfeited to the city is sold pursuant to division (B) hereof, the proceeds of the sale shall be disposed of in the following order:
(1) To the payment of the costs incurred in the forfeiture proceedings pursuant to state law;
(2) To the payment of the balance due on any security interest preserved pursuant to state law;
(3) To the payment of any costs incurred by the Police Department in connection with the storage, maintenance, security and forfeiture of the property; and
(4) To the Law Enforcement Trust Fund.
(E) Moneys deposited in the Law Enforcement Trust Fund shall be used in conformance with the revised written internal control policy of the city’s Police Department, a copy of which is attached to original Ordinance 11-99, passed January 19, 1999, and made a part thereof as if fully rewritten therein.
(Ord. 37-92, passed 4-6-1992; Ord. 11-99, passed 1-19-1999)