If the identity or location of the owner or other person entitled to possession of the property has not been ascertained within 6 months after the law enforcement agency obtains such possession, or said identity has been determined and such person does not claim possession within this 6-month period, and the finder of such property, if any, has not claimed it pursuant to the provisions of section 3507 within 15 days after the expiration of said 6-month period, the principal official thereof shall effectuate the sale of the property for cash to the highest bidder at a public auction, notice of which, including time, place and a brief description of such property, shall be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county wherein such official has authority at least 10 days prior to such auction or in the state paper in the case of a state law enforcement agency. Property offered but not sold at such public auction may be offered and sold at a subsequent public auction without further notice, donated to a nonprofit organization or charity or disposed of as waste. [PL 2011, c. 267, §2 (AMD).]

A law enforcement agency shall appropriately and properly dispose of as waste any property that poses a possible health risk. [PL 2011, c. 267, §2 (NEW).]

At no time may any property that has been disposed of by a law enforcement agency as waste be owned or personally used by any member of a law enforcement agency or by any immediate family member of any member of a law enforcement agency. [PL 2011, c. 267, §2 (NEW).]