2923.163 Surrender of firearm to law enforcement officer. - Ohio Statutes

2923.163 Surrender of firearm to law enforcement officer.

If a law enforcement officer stops a person for any law enforcement purpose and the person voluntarily or pursuant to a request or demand of the officer surrenders a firearm to the officer, if a law enforcement officer stops a motor vehicle for any purpose and a person in the motor vehicle voluntarily or pursuant to a request or demand of the officer surrenders a firearm to the officer, or if a law enforcement officer otherwise seizes a firearm from a person, all of the following apply:

(A) If the law enforcement officer does not return the firearm to the person at the termination of the stop or otherwise promptly return the firearm to the person after the seizure of the firearm, the officer or other personnel at the officer’s law enforcement agency shall maintain the integrity and identity of the firearm in such a manner so that if the firearm subsequently is to be returned to the person it can be identified and returned to the person in the same condition it was in when it was seized.

(B) If the law enforcement officer does not return the firearm to the person at the termination of the stop or otherwise promptly return the firearm to the person after the seizure of the firearm, if a court finds that a law enforcement officer failed to return the firearm to the person after the person has demanded the return of the firearm from the officer, and if the court orders a law enforcement officer to return the firearm to the person, in addition to any other relief ordered, the court also shall award reasonable costs and attorney’s fees to the person who sought the order to return the firearm.

Effective Date: 2008 SB184 09-09-2008