Signal Hill Municipal Code Ch. 2.64 Unclaimed Property in Custody of Police Department

A. The chief of police shall keep or cause to be kept a record of all articles of personal property found by the members of the police department, recovered from persons under arrest, or which have come into the possession of the police department in any other manner as stolen or unclaimed property.

B. The record shall show the following:

• 1. Date when it came into possession of the police department;
• 2. Description of the property;
• 3. Name, if known, of the person from whom taken;
• 4. The place where and the circumstances under which taken, found, or recovered.

(Prior code § 2.54.010 (Ord. 120 § 1, 1930))

The chief of police shall keep or cause to be kept all such articles for at least ninety days after first coming into possession of the police department unless sooner claimed and satisfactorily identified by the owner.

(Prior code § 2.54.020 (Ord. 120 § 2, 1930))

The chief of police, in addition to other duties as prescribed in this chapter, shall, on or before the first Monday in November of each year, make a complete inventory of all articles of personal property of every kind and description on hand and held by the police department for a period of more than ninety days as stolen or unclaimed property.

(Prior code § 2.54.030 (Ord. 120 § 6, 1930))

Such inventory shall give a brief description of all articles as set forth in Section 2.64.010. Such inventory, less items of intoxicating liquors, opium, and other drugs, shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation for the city once each week for a period of four successive weeks prior to the date established for the sale. Published with the inventory shall be a notice to the effect that all of the articles not identified and claimed by the owner thereof five days prior to the established date of sale shall be sold at public auction to the highest bidder at the location designated in the notice.

(Ord. 88-10-1016 § 1 (part): prior code § 2.54.040 (Ord. 120 § 7, 1930))

Each calendar year on a date established by resolution of the city council and then after publication of such notice as provided in Section 2.64.040 and in accordance with state law, the chief of police shall sell or cause to be sold, to the highest bidder all articles of personal property recovered and held by the police department as defined in Section 2.64.010, except intoxicating liquors and drugs.

(Ord. 88-10-1016 § 1 (part): Ord. 71-12-684 § 1: prior code § 2.54.050 (Ord. 120 § 8, 1930))

Firearms, deadly weapons, burglar's tools, intoxicating liquors, opium, and drugs not kept to be used as evidence shall be disposed of by the chief of police in a manner prescribed by law. Disposal of firearms shall be in accordance with Section 12028 of the California Penal Code.

(Ord. 88-10-1016 § 1 (part): prior code § 2.54.060 (Ord. 120 § 9, 1930))

All money received from the sale of such property shall be deposited in the city treasury and credited the general fund.

(Prior code § 2.54.070 (Ord. 120 § 10, 1930))