(a) There shall be an office of the Metropolitan Police District known as the Office of the Property Clerk. The Property Clerk shall be a member of the Metropolitan Police force. The staff shall consist of civilians who are not members of the Metropolitan Police force, except that police officers may provide security for lost, stolen, or abandoned property held by the office.
(b) For purposes of §§ 5-119.02 through 5-119.10 and §§ 5-119.12 through 5-119.18:
(1) The term “lost property” means any personal property, tangible or intangible, except a motor vehicle, the owner of which is unknown and which has been casually or involuntarily parted with through negligence, carelessness, or inadvertence.
(2) The term “finder of lost property” means any person other than a public officer of the Metropolitan Police Department who has found lost property.