(A) Property which has been lost, abandoned, stolen or lawfully seized or forfeited and is in the custody of the Dublin Division of Police shall be deposited and kept in a location designated by the Police Chief or his designee. A record of all such property shall be maintained, which will include the name of the owner, if known, the person from whom received, the location where found with general circumstances. All property which is evidence shall be kept until it is no longer needed and then disposed of pursuant to this section.
(B) The Dublin Division of Police shall make a reasonable effort to notify the person entitled to possession of property in its custody and indicate where such property may be claimed.
(C) A person loses any right he may have to title or possession of property:
(1) Which was the subject, or was used in a conspiracy or attempt to commit, or the commission of an offense other than a traffic offense, and such person is a conspirator, accomplice, or offender with respect to the offense;
(2) When the light of the nature of the property or the circumstances of such person, it is unlawful for him to acquire or possess it.
(D) After 30 days all unclaimed and forfeited property, and/or lost or abandoned property, except as otherwise provided herein, and not held as evidence shall be disposed of as ordered by the appropriate court having jurisdiction over the property, except property specifically set forth below:
(1) All drugs shall be destroyed;
(2) Firearms and dangerous ordnance suitable for police work may be retained by the Dublin Division of Police for the purpose. Firearms which are museum pieces may be sold at public auction or disposed of in another manner that the court considers proper. All other weapons shall be destroyed;
(3) Obscene materials shall be destroyed;
(4) Beer or intoxicating liquor shall be destroyed;
(5) Vehicle and vehicle parts forfeited under R.C. §§ 4549.61 to 4549.63 may be given to the Dublin Division of Police for use in the performance of its duties. Such parts may be incorporated into any other official vehicle. Parts that do not bear vehicle identification numbers or derivatives thereof may be sold or disposed of as provided by aforementioned and related Revised Code sections. Parts from which a vehicle identification number or derivative thereof has been removed, or altered, or destroyed and that are not suitable for police work or incorporation into an official vehicle shall be destroyed or sold as junk or scrap.
(6) Other unclaimed or forfeited property may be used by the Dublin Division of Police or other appropriate municipal department as directed by the Manager. Unless otherwise mandated by court order, property not used by the city or such property set forth in division (E)(1) hereof may be sold at public sale, auction or otherwise as follows: After holding any such property for at least 30 days, the Dublin Division of Police may initiate such action by publishing for three consecutive weeks, in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipality, a notice indicating when and how such property will be sold, auctioned or otherwise disposed of. Any such action must be taken at least 60 days after the date which the Dublin Division of Police obtained custody of such property. Any proceeds generated there from shall be deposited in the General Fund.
(7) If firearms are included in the valuable personal effects of a dead person who met death in the manner described by R.C. § 313.12, the coroner shall deliver the firearms to the Chief of Police.
(E) Other lost or found property, not otherwise subject to court jurisdiction or other provisions herein, or for which a person entitled to possession cannot be determined, may be returned to the finder of such property pursuant to the procedures set forth below:
(1) Within 30 days from the date the lost or found property is turned in to the Police Division by the finder, he shall submit a request on a form approved by the Police Division to the Police Chief, stating how he came to possess such property, and requesting its return. Failure of the finder to submit such a request within the aforementioned 30 days, will result in the subject property being disposed of pursuant to division (D)(6) herein.
(2) Within 30 days after receipt of the finder's request, the Police Division shall publish for three consecutive weeks, in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipality, a notice that a request for return of property has been filed which may result in the return of the subject property to the finder unless the person entitled to possession can provide proof thereof satisfactory to the Police Chief on or before a date not less than 30 days from the date such notice was first published. If no claim for possession is made, the property may be returned to the petitioner on or after 60 days from the date it was turned in.
(3) If no such satisfactory proof is provided by a person claiming possession as set forth in division (E)(2), the property may be returned to the requestor-finder.
(4) Officers, employees and agents of the city or its underlying townships shall not be entitled to recover property under division (E) hereof.
(Ord. 11-91, passed 5-6-91)