Dear Monee,
I have outlined a few relevant issues to use in your quest to “get the money out”
Frequency Of Transfer (options)
Daily / Weekly – Money is received from the intake lockers, logged into the computer and then
immediately taken to a unit within the agency that routinely handles cash transactions.
Monthly – Money is taken from intake lockers, logged into computer and then stored in the Safe or other
secured location for maybe 30 days. In some cases, waiting 30 days may allow the release back
to owners, as inquires for the money may be during the first 30 days of the item’s life cycle.
Transfer Process
Managed by: Money is typically maintained in a department account that is managed by the
city’s Finance/Fiscal Department.
The ideal scenario is for the package(s) of money not to be opened in the Property Room. When
the packages are transferred to the unit mentioned earlier, is where the opening of the money
would occur. Open the money in the presence of a third party will more than likely absolve
property room personnel from any discrepancies. Policy would then define what actions are to be
taken to resolve.
Release of Money
When it is determined that the money is eligible for release, the following can be considered:
Adjudicated Case – Claimed by Owner: Owner requests either the Case Officer or Property
Room to release money. Property Room obtains written approval by the Case Officer to have the
Finance/Fiscal Department to then process a check for the funds in the name of the owner. Once
the check is cut, there are two options; Finance/Fiscal mails the check to listed owner. The
second option and preferred is the Finance/Fiscal Department forward the check to the Property
Room who then notifies the Owner to retrieve the check at the Department. This method is
always preferred as the Property Release Record will have a signature from the owner that that
they have received the funds.
Adjudicated Case – Not Claimed by Owner - Once the case is adjudicated, the Property Room
obtains approval from the Case Officer to have the Finance/Fiscal Department release funds from
the Department account. In most cases, the Finance/Fiscal Department would then move the
funds to the General Fund.
Interest or No Interest:
The question of interest is sometimes of great concern to a Department. When a citizen comes
to a Department what do they want? Their money! And rarely do they ask for interest. Generally
speaking, the issue of interest is not going to be made by the agency as the funds are now in the
possession of the financial experts. Let the financial experts and possibly legal counsel for the
city/county make that decision.
I hope this may give you some guidance in setting up your policy.
