(A) There is hereby established a procedure for the registration of “lost and found” property, which gives the finder of any property the option of relinquishing any future claim to found property at the time its possession is surrendered to the Police Department or of retaining possession of the property at an address within the city after registering its description, its location and the tinder's identity with the Police Department. Only property in which the finder relinquishes any future claim to its ownership shall be stored in Police Department property rooms. The Chief of Police shall secure certain information which he or she deems necessary and proper related to the found property from the finder of the property, including but not limited to a description of the item, the finders' names, address and telephone number, information as to where the item was recovered or found, the date and time the item was received by the city and the name of the police officer who received the found property.
(B) Where a finder of any property exercises his or her option to retain possession of the found property after registering its description with the Police Department, the finder shall have a mandatory duty to do each of the following:
(1) To maintain, protect, secure, preserve, retain and possess the found property so registered, at all times, solely within the city, at the address and location which is at all times registered with the Police Department, in the same condition in which it was originally found by them without any use, sale, transfer, change, benefit, wear, consumption, profit, conversion, exploitation, modification, alteration, alternation or change of any kind whatsoever, for a period of time equal to at least six months from the date of registration of the found property with the Police Department or longer period as may be required by the Police Department upon notice to the finder;
(2) To provide a secure building, covered enclosure or facility within the city which is at all times locked so as to protect and safeguard the found property from theft, pilferage, vandalism and from damage due to the effects of weather;
(3) To notify the Police Department telephonically and in writing of any change of address, telephone number or location of the finder and/or the found property not later than 24 hours of such change of address, telephone number or location of the finder and/or the found property;
(4) To maintain active, working telephone service and at all times have the correct and current telephone number, including a daytime or work telephone number, registered with the Police Department so as to enable and facilitate police communication with the finder at any time; and
(5) To deliver, present, provide, bring, tender, convey, transfer and/or return the registered found property in the same condition in which it was originally found to the principal office of the Police Department upon notice, whether oral, written, telephonic or otherwise, to the finder to deliver the found property to the Police Department which notice is in any manner given or communicated by an officer of the department to a finder, which finder shall have 24 hours from the time of receipt of notice in which to comply through the delivery, presentation, provision, bringing, tendering, conveyance, transfer and/or return of the registered found property to the principal office of the Police Department.
(`90 Code, § 17-3) (Am. Ord. 2930, passed 11-20-90; Am. Ord. 2980, passed 12-21-93)