Disposition of certain weapons.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 34-28
in effectSec. 34-28. - Disposition of certain weapons.
Any pistol, dirk, dagger, knife, slingshot or any weapon prohibited by the Texas Penal Code which comes into the possession of the police department during the course and scope of said department's duties which is not being held as evidence for use in trials or pending cases or which has not been ordered returned to the person entitled to possession of such item by a court of competent jurisdiction, which for a period of not less than 90 days has remained unidentified or unclaimed by the lawful owner after notice to such owner as provided in section 34-29 et seq.*, of this Code, or if the lawful owner cannot be determined shall be destroyed in the presence of three police officers of the rank of lieutenant or higher, who shall make a written report under oath listing the type, make, model and serial number, if any, of the item destroyed, together with the time, date, place and manner of destruction; provided, however, that abandoned pistols which the chief of police or his designated representative has determined to be serviceable may be transferred to the permanent city equipment inventory of the police department for usage by said department in the daily course of its business as if such pistols had been originally purchased by the city for that purpose; and provided further that in the case of abandoned pistols which have been classified as "antiques" or "collector's items" by a qualified expert in the firearms field, such pistols shall be disposed of pursuant to the provisions of article IV of this chapter. The chief of police or his designated representative shall determine and select such qualified expert in the firearms field to classify such pistols.
(Code 1968, § 34-14; Ord. No. 77-563, § 1, 3-16-77)
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_S34-28DICEWEFetched: 10/26/2026