Chapter 2.12
DISPOSAL OF ABANDONED, STOLEN OR FOUND PROPERTY
Sections:
2.12.010 Disposal of unclaimed, forfeited or abandoned property.
2.12.020 Notice of intent to dispose required.
2.12.040 Dangerous or perishable property—Immediate disposal.
2.12.010 Disposal of unclaimed, forfeited or abandoned property.
The following property in possession of the department of public safety may be disposed of as provided in this chapter.
(a) Property collected as evidence and not claimed by the owner within thirty days after final disposition of the criminal or civil case to which it pertains;
(b) Property found and delivered to the police department and not claimed by the owner within thirty days thereafter;
(c) Stolen property recovered by the police department and not claimed by the owner within thirty days after such recovery;
(d) Property ordered forfeited by its owner pursuant to AS 17.30.112 or AS 12.55.015(a)(9);
(e) Property whose owner is not known. (Ord. 02-1-1 § 2 (part), 2002)
2.12.020 Notice of intent to dispose required.
(a) The chief of police shall publish in a newspaper of general circulation once a week for four consecutive weeks a notice of possession of all property whose disposal is authorized by this chapter. At approximately the same time as the first publication, the chief of police shall send copies of the notice by certified mail (return receipt requested) to the last known owner of the property and to the finder of the property, if any, at their respective last known addresses if any.
(b) Every notice of possession mailed or published pursuant to this section shall contain:
(1) A general description of the property;
(2) The date the police department first obtained possession of the property;
(3) The provision that unclaimed property will be disposed of and all proceeds, if any, kept by the city;
(4) The provision that the property must be claimed by the owner within thirty days after the last date on which the notice is published;
(5) The provision that the finder will forfeit all right, title, interest and claim in and to found property unclaimed by the owner unless the finder files a written request with the chief of police for return of the unclaimed property within thirty days after the last date on which the notice is published. (Ord. 02-1-1 § 2 (part), 2002)
2.12.030 Disposition.
If the property is unclaimed by the owner, if any, for thirty days after the last date of publication of the notice of intent to dispose of the property, the property shall be disposed of as follows:
(a) Found property, including money, shall be returned to the finder if a timely request for such has been received by the police department;
(b) All property, including money, which is not returned to the finder shall be kept by the chief of police for use of disposition by the city;
(c) All disposable but unclaimed property other than firearms shall be either destroyed (if of little value) or sold at a public sealed bid auction to the highest bidder by the chief of police or his designee;
(d) All firearms shall either be kept for use by the public safety department or shall be sold or traded to a federally licensed firearms dealer either for cash or for firearms for use by the department of public safety or shall be destroyed by the department of public safety. (Ord. 02-1-1 § 2 (part), 2002)
2.12.040 Dangerous or perishable property—Immediate disposal.
Property in the possession of the police department and determined by the chief of police to be perishable or to constitute an immediate danger to the public may be disposed of immediately in any manner without notice. (Ord. 02-1-1 § 2 (part), 2002)