The hearing will be conducted by a person appointed by the chief of the Washington state patrol. The hearing will be conducted at a place within the state designated by the hearing officer who will consider the convenience of the witnesses involved in the hearing, and the convenience of the parties in interest. The hearing officer, after having heard evidence submitted to him and having conducted a hearing in accordance with this chapter and chapter 446-08 WAC, will decide whether a party in interest has presented a claim of ownership or right to possession of the article involved sufficient to award possession of the article to the party. If so, the hearing officer will order the article released to such party.