Unclaimed Property

Section: Campus Safety and Security Policies

Policy Name: Unclaimed Property

Policy Owner: Executive Vice President

Responsible College Office: Office of Campus and Public Safety

Origination Date: February 3, 2018

Revisions: March 1, 1996

Legacy Policy Number: 7-33

1. PURPOSE
   
   To establish a uniform and consistent policy for the retention, accounting, and disposition of abandoned, found, removed, or unclaimed property.
2. POLICY
   
   A College employee finding, coming into possession of, or removing abandoned, lost, or unclaimed property shall forward these item(s) either to the Department of Public Safety or an appropriate authority* within or nearest the facility in which the item was located.

   Any person or office designated as a deposit point for such items shall maintain a log containing a description of the property, date and location found, name and address of the finder, and disposition of the item(s).

   Any property deposited with an appropriate authority which is not claimed or returned to the rightful owner within 10 days of the receipt shall be forwarded to the Department of Public Safety.

   Property can be returned or released to a rightful owner if that person can reasonably demonstrate ownership.** Claimants shall provide identification and be required to sign for the item.

   Property which has been found and turned in by a finder who is not an employee or agent of the College may be returned to the finder by the Department of Public Safety after all reasonable efforts to locate the rightful owner have been exhausted.

   In cases where an employee or agent of the College is the finder, the property will be disposed of in accordance with established Public safety departmental procedures.

   Theft of lost or mislaid property occurs when a person exercises control over the property of another which is known to be lost, mislaid, or misdelivered without taking reasonable measures to return the property to its owner, and is a criminal offense.

   * An appropriate authority is a designated person or office location where this type of property is normally deposited and maintained.

   **Any questions, concerns, or disputes in determining rightful ownership should be immediately referred to the Department of Public Safety.