Property Division
The Property Custodian, a fully commissioned employee of the Kittitas County
Sheriff's Office, under the supervision of the Undersheriff, maintains property
within a secure facility accessible only to the Property Custodian and the
Undersheriff while in the care and custody of the Kittitas County Sheriff's
Office.
Property is taken into custody by the Sheriff's Office for various reasons:
as evidence that a crime was committed or attempted, as recovered stolen
property, as found property or when a court order has been issued to the
Sheriff's Office to take custody of property or for safe keeping.
Where property that is considered as evidence, or recovered stolen property
and is not unlawful to possess will in most cases be available to the owner upon
completion of any criminal trial process and is released by the Kittitas County
Prosecuting Attorney.
Where property that is considered as found property and is not unlawful to
possess will in most cases will be available to the owner immediately.
Where property of a known owner is considered as safekeeping or held by court
order and is not unlawful to possess will in most cases be available to the
owner upon reason for safekeeping or court order hold is satisfied and is
released by the authority placing the hold.
When property is available for the owner and the owner is known the Property
Custodian or Undersheriff will phone and/or send a certified/return receipt to
the owner's last known information via information with the property or via
public information data. Information will be provided to the owner on how to
contact the Property Custodian for an appointment to receive the property.
Property is released by appointment only.
When property is available for the owner and the owner is not known, the
owner can not be found or the owner fails to claim or wishes not to claim their
property and all possible efforts to locate the owner have been exhausted the
property is then considered unclaimed.
Unclaimed property will be disposed of according to Washington State Law
under R.C.W. Titles 63.21(Return to finder), 63.32( Agency or other public
use)(destroyed), 9.41(Agency or other public use).
Property that is deemed unlawful to possess by certain persons will be
disposed of according to Washington State Law under R.C.W. Titles 63.32( Agency
or other public use)(destroyed) or 9.41(Agency or other public use).
Person(s) finding personal property and notifying Law Enforcement of
appropriate jurisdiction have certain rights according to Washington State law
under R.C.W. Title 63.21(Return to finder).
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