Hawthorne Municipal Code Ch. 3.28 Sale of Unclaimed Personal Property by Police Department

All unclaimed personal property in the possession of the Hawthorne police department, except property subject to confiscation under the laws of this state or of the United States, and bicycles, shall be stored in a safe place and retained by the chief of police for at least six months. All unclaimed bicycles shall be stored in a safe place and retained by the chief of police for at least three months.

(Prior code § 3-400; Ord. 1009 § 2, 1972)

The chief of police shall restore unclaimed personal property in the possession of the police department to its legal owner, upon proof of such ownership satisfactory to him and upon the payment of all reasonably necessary costs incurred in the care and protection thereof, unless such property is held by the police as evidence in a pending case, in which event it shall be disposed of only upon order of the proper court or city attorney.

(Prior code § 3-401)

At any time after holding unclaimed personal property for six months, or in the case of unclaimed bicycles for three months, the chief of police shall publish once in a newspaper of general circulation, published in the county and circulated within the city, a notice of his intention to sell such unclaimed personal property at pubic auction to the highest bidder at the time and place therein specified.

(Prior code § 3-402; Ord. 1009 § 4, 1972)

All sales of unclaimed personal property in the possession of the police department shall be held not less than five days after the publication of the notice of intention to sell and each item shall be separately sold at public auction to the highest bidder.

(Prior code § 3-403)

All property received from the sale of unclaimed personal property in the possession of the police department shall be delivered to the city treasurer for deposit in the general fund.

(Prior code § 3-404)

The chief of police shall report to the city manager any items remaining unsold after a public auction of unclaimed personal property in the possession of the police department, and the city manager shall instruct the chief of police regarding the disposition to be made thereof as he may see fit in the public interest.

(Prior code § 3-405)

The expenses connected with a sale of unclaimed personal property in the possession of the police department shall be a proper charge against the funds of the police department.

(Prior code § 3-406)