(a) Inventory. Any and all unclaimed property now or hereafter coming into the possession of the Sheriff’s Office shall be inventoried at least every three months by the persons having custody of the same, and a full and complete list thereof shall be transmitted to the Sheriff.
(b) Disposition of Unclaimed Property. The Sheriff, upon receipt of said list of unclaimed property, shall determine therefrom the unclaimed property that has been held by the Sheriff’s Office for a period of at least six months, or as may otherwise be required by Penal Code §§ 1407—1413, whereupon said Sheriff’s Office shall notify the Chief Probation Officer and the Director of Public Social Services of the availability of any bicycles or toys as the Sheriff may designate for being turned over to the Probation or Public Social Services Departments for use in any program or activities designed to prevent juvenile delinquency. The Sheriff may also retain and use any unclaimed property covered by this Section that he or she deems to be needed for use in undercover police operations or other functions of the Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff shall keep an inventory of any property retained and used by the Sheriff’s Office and any such property which is suitable for sale will be sold as hereinafter provided when it is no longer needed for use by the Sheriff’s Office. Except as heretofore provided, the Sheriff shall cause the remainder of unclaimed property held for a period of at least six months, or as otherwise required by Penal Code §§ 1407—1413, to be sold at public auction as follows:
(1) Notice of such sale, describing the property in sufficient detail for its identification, shall be prepared by the Sheriff’s Office, and said notice signed by the Sheriff, which said notice of said sale shall be given at least five days before the time fixed therefor by publication once in a newspaper of general circulation published in the County of San Bernardino.
(2) Said property so offered for sale shall be sold to the highest bidder for cash, provided that the Sheriff may, in his or her discretion, fix a minimum sale price and may refuse to sell unless said minimum price is offered.
(c) Disposition of Proceeds with County Treasurer. The proceeds of said auction sale or sales shall immediately be deposited with the Treasurer of the County of San Bernardino and placed in the General Fund thereof.
(d) Safekeeping of Unclaimed Property. It shall be the duty and responsibility of the Sheriff’s Office to safely keep any and all unclaimed properties subject to the provisions of this Section and to the right of the Sheriff to sell said properties at public auction as herein provided, whereupon property which is sold shall be delivered to the purchaser upon payment of the purchase price.
(d) Definition of Unclaimed Property. Whenever in this Chapter the following words and phrases set forth in this Section are used, they shall, for the purpose of this Chapter have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this Section: UNCLAIMED PROPERTY shall include any and all lost, abandoned or unclaimed personal property of whatsoever kind or character, but shall not include property which is specifically ordered to be destroyed by provisions of law, nor to the disposal of dogs, cats, or livestock.
(Ord. 735, passed - -1954; Am. Ord. 1704, passed - -1972; Am. Ord. 2644, passed - -1982)