El Monte Municipal Code Ch. 9.36 Rewards for Criminal Information

The City Council finds that there are a variety of crimes that are committed in the city or against the residents of the city that are difficult to investigate and obtain sufficient evidence to apprehend and convict the responsible person without the cooperation of knowledgeable witnesses. It is in the best public interest for the protection and safety of persons who reside or work in the city and for protection of property located within the city that a procedure be established for giving rewards to persons who furnish information that lead to the arrest and/or conviction of persons charged with crimes affecting residents of the city or persons who may work or conduct business in the city or who may own property in the city. In addition, the public interest, safety and welfare shall also be served by providing rewards to informants who provide reliable information to the police which permit the police to pursue an investigation concerning a felony crime or a misdemeanor crime (or the preparation for commission of a felony crime) and which information provides a basis on which arrests may be made.

(Prior code § 3950)

Specific authorization for offering a reward may be undertaken by resolution of the City Council. Such resolution shall incorporate by reference the provisions of this chapter, set forth the amount of reward, the crime to which it applies, and terms and conditions in addition to those contained herein that will apply to a specific reward.

(Prior code § 3950.1)

Any person claiming a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a person charged with a crime, as authorized by resolution of the City Council, must, within ten (10) days of furnishing such information complete and file with the Police Department a "claim for reward." Such claim form shall be provided by the Police Department and shall be in the following form:

CLAIM FOR REWARD

I,_____, address _____ hereby claim reward in the amount of _____ for information that I have voluntarily furnished to the El Monte Police Department. This claim is made in accordance with Chapter 9(A), Article III of the El Monte Municipal Code and Resolution No. _____ of the City Council of the City of El Monte, a copy of which I have received.

That I will cooperate with the El Monte Police Department and the Los Angeles County District Attorney to the extent of furnishing information and testifying at any hearing or trial.

I recognize that the reward is limited to the amount set forth in the Resolution and that other persons may claim this reward. In the event there is a dispute as to my entitlement to receive the reward or the amount, I agree to having this claim determined by the City Administrative Officer as set forth in Section 3950.5 of the Municipal Code.

I understand that payment of the reward is conditional upon the information/testimony that I furnished being of a type and nature that would lead to arrest and/or conviction.

There has been no other offer or promise to me except as contained in the described Resolution.

DATED: _____

SIGNED: ___________

(Prior code § 3950.2)

Rewards as provided herein shall not be paid until a criminal case is closed by sentencing of the defendant, judgment of acquittal, dismissal of charges or expiration of five years from the date the information was furnished.

(Prior code § 3950.3)

Upon request of the Chief of Police and a finding by the City Council that it is in the best public interest, the name of the claimant for a reward as authorized by resolution may be confidential information and kept anonymous.

(Prior code § 3950.4)

The determination as to whether an individual(s) is qualified to receive a reward as authorized by resolution and the amount(s) and the persons who shall receive such a reward or proportion thereof, shall be subject to the sole discretion and approval of the City Administrative Officer after report and recommendation by the Chief of Police. The decision of the City Administrative Officer shall be final and without appeal to the City Council.

(Prior code § 3950.5)

The Chief of Police may, from time to time, offer a reward to a confidential informant and authorize the payment of a reward to such an individual in an amount not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) in any case in which a confidential informant provides information to the El Monte Police Department which the Chief of Police finds and determines to be of substantial evidentiary value in connection with a police investigation which leads to the arrest of one or more persons who have committed a felony crime or who are preparing for the commission of a felony crime within the city; provided however that the Chief of Police shall not authorize payments of an aggregate amount of more than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) of such rewards to confidential informants during any fiscal year of the city. The Chief of Police shall keep and maintain a record of accounts of such payments and include in such record a brief written explanation of the basis on which the reward was paid. Such records shall be maintained in a confidential manner in order to protect the identity of such confidential informants and such records of the Police Department shall not be deemed to be public records for any purpose.

(Prior code § 3950.6)

The Chief of Police may, from time to time, offer rewards to a confidential informant and authorize the payment of a reward in an amount not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100.00) in any case in which a confidential informant provides information to the El Monte Police Department which the Chief of Police finds and determines to be of substantial evidentiary value in connection with a police investigation which leads to the arrest and conviction of one or more persons who have committed a misdemeanor crime or who are preparing for the commission of a misdemeanor crime within the city, including without limitation a crime of malicious vandalism or other misdemeanor crime against property; provided however, that the Chief of Police shall not authorize payments of an aggregate amount of more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) of such rewards to confidential informants during any fiscal year of the city. The Chief of Police shall keep and maintain a record of accounts of such payments (identified as the "Police Department Misdemeanor Reward Account") and include in such record a brief written explanation of the basis on which the reward was paid. Such records shall be maintained in a confidential manner in order to protect the identity of such confidential informants and such records of the Police Department shall not be deemed to be public records for any purposes.

(Prior code § 3950.7)