A. Whenever any motor vehicle has been impounded pursuant to this chapter, the Kankakee County Sheriff's Department shall, within ten (10) days thereafter, ascertain, if possible, from the Secretary of State of Illinois the name of the owner, lienholder and any other person legally entitled to possession of such motor vehicle by reason of an existing conditional sale contract having a lien as chattel mortgagee, or any other reason, and cause to be sent to such owner, lienholder and to such other person legally entitled to possession, if known, a notice of the impoundment including a full description of the vehicle. If the impounded vehicle is currently registered with the Secretary of State's Office, notice shall be sent to the owner, lienholder and any other person legally entitled to possession of the vehicle by certified mail. If the impounded vehicle is not currently registered with the Secretary of State's Office, such notice shall be sent to the most recent registered owner at the most recent registered address by first class mail. However, no such notice need be sent to the owner of record if the owner is personally served with the notice within ten (10) days after the vehicle is seized and impounded, and the owner acknowledges receipt of the notice in writing.
B. When the Kankakee County Sheriff's Department does not know the identity of the registered owner, lienholder or other legally entitled person, they will cause the motor vehicle registration records of the State of Illinois to be searched by a directed communication to the Secretary of State for the purpose of obtaining the required ownership information. The Kankakee County Sheriff's Department will cause the stolen motor vehicle files of the Illinois State Police to be searched by a directed communication to the Illinois State Police for stolen or wanted information on the vehicle. When the Illinois State Police files are searched with negative results, the information contained in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) files will be searched by the Illinois State Police. The information determined from these record searches will be used by the Kankakee County Sheriff's Department in sending a notification by certified mail to the owner, lienholder or legally entitled person advising where the vehicle is held, requesting a disposition be made and setting forth public sale information. Notification shall be sent no later than ten (10) business days after the date the Kankakee County Sheriff's Department impounds or authorizes the impounding of a vehicle; provided, that if the Kankakee County Sheriff's Department is unable to determine the identity of the registered owner, lienholder or other person legally entitled to ownership of the impounded vehicle within a ten (10) business day period after impoundment, then notification shall be sent no later than two (2) days after the date the identity of the registered owner, lienholder or other person legally entitled to ownership of the impounded vehicle is determined. Exceptions to a notification by certified mail to the registered owner, lienholder and other legally entitled persons are set forth in 625 Illinois Compiled Statutes 5/4-209.
C. When the registered owner, lienholder or other person legally entitled to the possession of motor vehicle or other vehicle cannot be identified from the registration files of this State or from the registration files of a foreign state, if applicable, the Kankakee County Sheriff's Department shall notify the Illinois State Police for the purpose of identifying the vehicle's owner or other person legally entitled to the possession of the vehicle. The information obtained by the Illinois State Police will be immediately forwarded to the Kankakee County Sheriff's Department for notification of owner. (Ord. 05-10, 10-3-2005; amd. 2019 Code)