Stuart Stone
Send a bill for your recording device.....charge an up front replacement fee, give terms of 7 days for payment, then in your terms and conditions stipulate $1.00 USD for every minute after this time that they do not pay...that racks up a huge bill very quickly and if the officer didn't serve a warrant at the time of seizure, then it's theft in his private capacity, regardless of what he told you.
The department can be charged for receiving stolen goods...7 days is more than enough time to remove the 'evidence' required & return your property...you can't be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process.
If he pays for the recording device to make you go away, then he's by his actions accepting all charges, cooking his own goose. If he doesn't, then sell the debt to the highest bidder (get an administrative judgement to validate the debt) & let him fight with financial institutions & credit agencies & debt collection agencies.
At the end of the day it all becomes a very expensive football tackle ;-)