(a) The Director of Public Safety is hereby authorized to accept all contraband or other property seized as part of a criminal investigation or prosecution and forfeited to the City pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2933.43 or pursuant to Federal law, and required to be used for law enforcement purposes, provided that any acceptance of real estate by the Director shall be approved by ordinance of Council.
(b) Property forfeited to the City and accepted by the Director pursuant to subsection (a) hereof may be destroyed, or retained by the City to be used solely in the Division of Police for law enforcement purposes, as determined by the Director. Property forfeited to the City may be sold, following notice, and without appraisal, at a public auction to the highest bidder for cash, upon the recommendation of the Director.
(c) Pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2933.43, there is hereby established a Law Enforcement Trust Fund. All money and the proceeds of the sale of other property, forfeited to the City pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2933.43 or pursuant to Federal law, and required to be used for law enforcement purposes, except as may be required by law to be disposed of in another manner, shall be credited to the Law Enforcement Trust Fund.
(d) If property forfeited to the City is sold pursuant to subsection (b) hereof, the proceeds of the sale shall be disposed of in the following order:
(1) Payment of the costs incurred in the forfeiture proceedings pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2933.43;
(2) Payment of the balance due on any security interest preserved pursuant to State law;
(3) Payment of any costs incurred by the Division of Police in connection with the storage, maintenance, security and forfeiture of the property; and
(4) Deposit into the Law Enforcement Trust Fund.
(e) The proceeds distributed to the Law Enforcement Trust Fund shall be used only to pay the costs of protracted or complex investigations or prosecutions, to provide reasonable technical training or expertise, to provide matching funds to obtain Federal grants to aid law enforcement, or for such other law enforcement purposes that Council determines to be appropriate.
(Ord. 90-16. Passed 5-8-90.)