(A) The contents of any vehicle which is to be towed and impounded shall be inventoried by the police officer. The inventory shall be conducted prior to towing except where there is a reasonable suspicion to believe the safety of the police officer or other persons is at risk, in which case the inventory shall be made as soon as is safely practical.
(B) The inventory shall be made for the following purposes only:
(1) To promptly identify personal property for the protection of such property while the vehicle is impounded;
(2) To prevent false claims for lost or stolen property; and/or
(3) To locate toxic, flammable, explosive or other dangerous substances.
(C) The inventory shall be conducted throughout the passenger and engine compartments of the vehicle, including accessible areas under or within the dashboard areas, pockets in the doors or the back of the front seats, in any consoles between seats and under floor mats and seats.
(D) Inventories of the following property shall be made:
(1) Of all personal property in plain view or in open containers;
(2) All open containers found in any unlocked compartments, including the trunk, glove box and car-top carriers;
(3) All open containers found in any locked compartments; provided, however, that person in possession of the vehicle consents to entry or the keys to the compartments have been left with the vehicle; and
(4) No closed container shall be opened for inventory purposes; for the purpose of this division (D)(4),
CLOSED CONTAINER means any container secured in such a manner that a reasonable person would know or should know that access requires permission.
(E) The police officer shall prepare a written list of property inventoried contemporaneously with the inventory. The inventory shall be signed, dated, including the time the inventory was complete. A copy of the inventory shall be filed with the Police Department, a copy shall be left with the vehicle or tendered to the person in control of the vehicle if present at the time of towing, and a copy shall be provided with the notice of removal under § 74.11.
(Ord. 1203, passed - -1999)