All gambling devices and all other machines, mechanisms, contrivances, devices, instruments, things or property used for, adapted to, or which may readily be converted into one that is adapted to, gambling, are hereby declared to be prejudicial to the public good, detrimental to the public morals and a nuisance and shall be subject to seizure by any police officer of the City and shall be destroyed under the direction of and pursuant to order of the Municipal Court, when such items were used in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter. No such machine, mechanism, contrivance, device, instrument or property so seized by any police officer of the City, whether under the authority of this section or otherwise, shall be returned to the owner or person claiming the same except pursuant to an order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
Whenever it is brought to the knowlege of the Mayor that any punchboard, slot machine, machine, mechanism, contrivance, device, instrument or article used for the purpose of gambling is kept for such purpose or is displayed in any public place or in any lodge room, club room or other meeting place open to the general public or to members only of the lodge, club or organization keeping and maintaining such room or place where such punchboards, slot machines, machines, mechanisms, contrivances, devices or instruments are kept or displayed within the City, he shall forthwith issue an order to the Chief of Police to cause such punchboards, slot machines, machines, mechanism, contrivances, devices or instruments to be seized and when so seized to be destroyed under the supervision and direction of and pursuant to order of the Municipal Court.
(Ord. 1974-54. Passed 4-23-74.)