[Adopted 3-22-2005 by Ord. No. 7-2005]
There shall be established a secure area in which vehicles or other
evidence may be kept by the Cohoes Police Department once lawfully impounded.
Said area will only be accessible to authorized persons as determined by the
Chief of Police or the Public Safety Commissioner. The Chief of Police shall
promulgate regulations setting forth a detailed description of the official
impound area, what persons are authorized for entry, and procedures for impoundment
in said area and access.
The owner of such vehicles or his agent may, within 30 days from the
date of notice of release of the vehicle, redeem the vehicle by paying to
the Chief of Police the sum of $20 per day for storage charges for each day
stored after the date of notice of release of the vehicle. He shall also sign
a written receipt for such vehicle. The Police Department shall serve notice
of the release of an impounded vehicle upon the rightful owner or his/her
duly constituted agent or other person entitled to the same by law. Notice
shall be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the last known
address of the rightful owner and to his/her attorney or agent; should the
owner be found to be deceased, then upon the executor or attorney for the
estate or next of kin. Any and all property not claimed by its rightful owner
or his/her duly constituted agent or other person entitled to the same by
law within 30 days after the proper service of notice shall become property
of the City of Cohoes and shall be disposed of in accordance with the provisions
of this article.
Whenever any vehicle which has been impounded by the Department of Police
remains for a period of 30 days in the possession of the Department unclaimed
by any person having the right to the possession of such vehicle, such vehicle
shall be sold, under the direction of the Purchasing Agent, at public auction,
to the highest bidder; retained for use by the City; sold to another law enforcement
agency; or destroyed in a manner determined by the Chief of Police and the
Mayor, after notice of such auction or disposition has been given for not
less than one week by one publication in the official newspaper of the City
of Cohoes.
Such notice of publication shall describe the vehicle with reasonable
certainty, by manufacturer's trade name or make, registration or license
number and, if known, the name of the person to whom the vehicle belongs,
or, if the name of the owner is unknown, that fact shall be stated.
