Subject to the provisions of § 19.2-386.29, the State Police may destroy unclaimed firearms and other weapons that have been in the possession of the Department for a period of more than 120 days and that have been determined by the Superintendent or his designee to be unsuitable to be placed in service with the Department. For the purposes of this section, "unclaimed firearms and other weapons" means any firearm or other weapon belonging to another that has been acquired by a law-enforcement officer pursuant to his duties, that is not needed in any criminal prosecution, that has not been claimed by its rightful owner and that the State Treasurer has indicated will be declined if remitted under the Virginia Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act (§ 55.1-2500 et seq.).
At the discretion of the Superintendent or his designee, unclaimed firearms or other weapons may be destroyed by any means that render the firearms or other weapons permanently inoperable. Prior to the destruction of such firearms or other weapons, the Superintendent or his designee shall comply with the notice provisions contained in § 52-11.4.
In lieu of destroying any such unclaimed firearm, the Superintendent or his designee may donate the firearm to the Department of Forensic Science, upon agreement of the Department of Forensic Science.
2004, c. 427; 2015, c. 220.