Azusa Municipal Code Div. 1 Payment of Special Rewards

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Peace officer means a peace officer as defined in State of California Penal Code sections 830 and 830.1, engaged in the performance of his or her duties, whom the suspect knew or reasonably should have known was a peace officer.

Reward means an authorized payment of monetary compensation to a person or persons for:

(1) Information received by the city leading to the determination of the identity and apprehension of any person whose willful misconduct results in injury or death to any person, or who willfully damages or destroys any property; or

(2) Coming to the aid of a City of Azusa Peace Officer, or for the furnishing of information to the city leading to the arrest and conviction of any person or persons who killed, assaulted with a deadly weapon, or inflicted serious bodily harm upon a peace officer of the city while that officer was acting in the line of duty.

(Ord. No. 08-O12, § 1, 11-17-08)

Any person whose willful misconduct has resulted in injury or death to any student or any person employed by or performing volunteer services for the city or who has willfully damaged or destroyed any property of the city or any property of any other local agency or state or federal agency located within the boundaries of the city shall be liable for the amount of any reward paid pursuant to this chapter and if he or she is an unemancipated minor, his or her parent or guardian shall also be liable for the amount.

(Ord. No. 08-O12, § 2, 11-17-08)

(a) The city council, at its sole discretion, may offer a reward, as that term is described in section 46-1, upon adoption of a resolution which: (1) describes the specific circumstances that prompted the offering of a reward, (2) specifies the amount of the reward, (3) specifies the time period during which the offer of reward shall be in effect, and (4) directs the city clerk to advertise the offer of reward.

(b) The city clerk, upon the city council's approval of the resolution to offer a reward, shall cause notices and/or advertisements to be posted on the city's Internet website and duly published in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the city, setting forth the city's reward offer in a manner designed to provide immediate city-wide notoriety to the offer. All notices and advertisements of a reward shall set forth the conditions and limitations of the offer.

(Ord. No. 08-O12, § 3, 11-17-08)

(a) An offer of reward by the city shall be effective, subject to subsection (b) of this section, upon publication by the city clerk, as provided for herein, and, subject to subsection (c) of this section, shall remain in effect for the stated term of the offer or for the term of any extension thereof which may be approved by the city council prior to the termination of the offer of reward. In the event the term of an offer of reward is extended, as provided herein, the city clerk shall provide the same publicity as that given to the original offer of reward.

(b) Information received by the city after adoption of a resolution to authorize payment of a reward, but prior to publication, shall be deemed to have been received during the effective term of the offer for purposes of council deliberations on the payment of any reward in said matter.

(c) An offer of reward by the city shall terminate by payment, revocation, withdrawal thereof by the city council by resolution or expiration of the period of time set forth in the resolution offering the reward, or any extension thereof, which was approved by the city council while the offer was otherwise effective. A terminated offer of reward shall have no operative or legal force or effect, except with respect to city council consideration of information received by the city prior to the termination of the offer of reward. In the event an offer of reward had been terminated by revocation or withdrawal by the city council prior to the term identified in the offer of reward or an approved extension thereof, the city clerk shall provide the same publicity thereto as that given to the original offer of reward.

(Ord. No. 08-O12, § 4, 11-17-08)

After an identification, apprehension, or where applicable the arrest and conviction, of a person or persons with respect to commission of an act which prompted the offer of reward, the city council shall determine whether the information received had been:

(1) Either accompanied, or followed by, a letter or other written expression of an intent to claim the reward offered;

(2) Received during the term in which the offer of reward was in effect;

(3) Tendered as more than a mere suspicion and was sufficient to provide for the subsequent identification, apprehension, or where applicable the arrest and conviction, of the person or persons responsible in whole or in part for that act which prompted the offer of reward;

(4) Accompanied by sufficient information to satisfy whatever had been established by the city council as special conditions for payment of the reward; and is consistent with the limitations upon payment set forth in the resolution offering the reward.

(Ord. No. 08-O12, § 5, 11-17-08)

(a) Payment of any reward or rewards, as provided in this chapter, shall require city council approval by resolution.

(b) No employee or official of the city shall be eligible to receive payment of a reward pursuant to this chapter.

(c) No reward shall be paid to any person or persons involved in misconduct which prompted the offer of the reward by the city council.

(d) No offer of reward or payment of reward shall be made to anyone who is acting as an agent for the suspect(s) or if suspect(s) will benefit from payment of such reward.

(Ord. No. 08-O12, § 6, 11-17-08)