Acceptance of donations and loans of tangible property by the chief of police for the Houston Police Museum.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 34-37
in effectSec. 34-37. - Acceptance of donations and loans of tangible property by the chief of police for the Houston Police Museum.
The chief of police or his designated representative is hereby authorized to accept on behalf of the city, without action by the city council, donations and loans of tangible property for the Houston Police Museum. Any loan of tangible property pursuant to the authority of this section shall both be free of charge to the city and be documented by an agreement signed by the lender, which agreement includes all and only the following terms and conditions:
(a) The city shall not be liable for the destruction or loss of an item unless said destruction or loss is due to the gross negligence of City of Houston employees while working within the course and scope of their employment. In no event shall the city be liable for more than the lesser of the following for any item:
(i) Five thousand dollars; or
(ii) The value of the item as indicated by the lender in the agreement.
(b) It is understood by the lender that all items are subject to gradual inherent deterioration for which the city is not responsible. Although he has no duty to do so, director of the police museum ("director") may fumigate items which in his opinion show evidence of infestation.
(c) The police museum may photograph items for educational and publicity purposes. It is understood that items on exhibit may be photographed by the general public.
(d) The chief of police, through the director, retains the right to determine when, if, and for how long items will be exhibited.
(e) Items will be returned to the lender at the site of the police museum upon 30 days written notice to the director. If the person who comes to take custody of an item is not the lender who signed the loan agreement, the chief of police, through the director, may demand proof that said person is authorized by the owner to take custody of the item. The person taking custody of the item will be required to sign an appropriate receipt prior to the return.
(f) If the police museum closes, the lender will receive notice thereof at the address listed on the loan agreement or at his new address if communicated to the director. Within 30 days of receipt of said notice, lender shall be required to take possession of the item. If the lender does not take possession of the item within said 30-day period, the director will store the item at the lender's risk. If after one year of storage and after reasonable efforts have been made to contact the lender the item is still unclaimed, then in consideration of the item's storage and safe-guarding during such period, the lender shall be deemed to have made an unrestricted gift of the item to the police museum.
(Code 1968, § 34-21; Ord. No. 83-1744, § 1, 10-26-83)
Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH34POFIPR_ARTIIPODE_S34-37ACDOLOTAPRCHPOHOPOMUFetched: 10/26/2026