TITLE 5
PUBLIC SAFETY
CHAPTER 1
POLICE DEPARTMENT
SECTION:
5-1-1: Department Created; Chief
5-1-2: Duties Of Department, Officers
5-1-3: Assistance To Other Communities
5-1-4: Unclaimed Property
5-1-1: DEPARTMENT CREATED; CHIEF:
There is a police department, the head of which is the chief of police, who may also be the city marshal, elected as provided in section 1-6-1 of this code. The chief of police is an officer of the city, and has supervision and control of the police department. The police chief is subject to direction of the mayor. All police officers are officers of the city. (1990 Code § 13-301; amd. per correspondence dated 9-12-2014)
5-1-2: DUTIES OF DEPARTMENT, OFFICERS:
   A.   Generally: It is the duty of the police department to apprehend and arrest on view or on warrant and bring to justice all violators of the ordinances of the city; to suppress all riots, affrays, and unlawful assemblies which may come to their knowledge, and generally to keep the peace; to serve all warrants, writs, executions, and other processes properly directed and delivered to them; to apprehend and arrest persons violating federal or state law as provided by law, and to turn them over to proper authorities; and in all respects to perform all duties pertaining to the office of police officers. (1990 Code § 13-302)
   B.   Maintain Order And Peace: Police officers shall perform such duties as are required of them by the chief of police, city ordinances, federal, state and county regulations and any other actions required in the maintenance of good order and public peace. (1990 Code § 13-303)
5-1-3: ASSISTANCE TO OTHER COMMUNITIES:
   A.   Emergency Situation: Approval is hereby given for service of members of the regular police department of the city as police officers of any other city or town, in an emergency situation, in the state, not more than one hundred (100) miles distant from this city, when such service is requested by the mayor or chief of police of the city or town.
   B.   Request For Service: Requests for service under this section are made by writing or by telephone, or other means of communication, to the mayor who, if he determines that the request can be granted consistent with the continuance of the proper police protection to the inhabitants of the city, and after consultation with the chief of police, shall direct the chief of police to furnish the number of officers requested and to arrange their transportation to the requesting municipality. (1990 Code § 13-304)
5-1-4: UNCLAIMED PROPERTY:
   A.   Complete Record Required:
      1.   All personal property which comes into the possession of any police officer, which has been found or stolen or taken off the person or out of the possession of any prisoner or person suspected of, or charged with, being a criminal, and which is not known to belong to some person laying claim thereto, is, by the officer securing possession thereof, delivered into the charge of the chief of police.
      2.   The chief shall, in a permanent record book kept for that purpose, make a record sufficient to identify the property, with the date and circumstances of the receipt thereof, the name of the person from whom it was taken and the place where it was found; and the record shall also disclose the subsequent disposal thereof, giving the date of sale, name and address of the purchaser, and the amount for which it was sold. (1990 Code § 13-501)
   B.   Disposition Of Unclaimed Property: Any unclaimed personal property, other than animals, which remains in the possession of the chief of police, unclaimed, or the ownership of which is not to him satisfactorily established, for a period of more than thirty (30) days or as provided by law, shall be sold, or disposed of in the manner required by law, except such personal property as in the opinion of the mayor can be more advantageously used by some department or office of the city government. (1990 Code § 13-502)
   C.   Property Found By Private Person: Any personal property found by a person other than a public official or employee, which is delivered to any police officer for identification, if not claimed or identified within thirty (30) days or as provided by law, shall, within ten (10) additional days thereafter, if requested by the finder, be returned to him, and a record of such disposal made thereof. If the finder does not request return of the property to him within such additional ten (10) days, then the chief of police shall sell the property in the manner required by law as if it had been found by a public official or employee, or, on instruction by the mayor, deliver it to some department or office of the city government for its use. (1990 Code § 13-503)
   D.   Recovery By Owner: If any property is sold as herein provided, and the owner thereof takes and recovers possession of same from the purchaser, the amount paid therefor is returned to the purchaser, upon verified claim being submitted and approved by the city council. (1990 Code § 13-504)