Los Angeles Municipal Code Art. 2.4 Metal and Wire Theft Reward Program

1. A trust fund entitled “Metal and Wire Theft Reward Program Trust Fund”, to be administered by the City Clerk, is established in the City Treasury. The Fund shall be for the deposit of money for, and payment of rewards to persons who, in response to the offer of reward, have provided information resulting in the identification, apprehension and conviction, or a final adjudication by the Juvenile Court or placement on a supervised program by the probation officer under the provisions of the Welfare and Institutions Code of the State of California, of, or as to, the person or persons who have committed acts of metal and wire theft.

2. The City may provide an appropriation to the Fund in the budget each year as a part of the appropriations to the Special Purpose Funds, and the City Council, subject to the approval of the Mayor, may appropriate other money occasionally during the year, as needed, to accomplish the payment of rewards provided for in this article.

3. All monetary gifts, contributions, or bequests accepted by the City for the purposes set forth in this section shall be placed in the Fund. All gifts, contributions, or bequests to the Fund which exceed $10,000 shall be submitted to the City Council for acceptance or rejection. All gifts, contribution, or bequests of $10,000 or less may be accepted or rejected by the City Clerk.

   SECTION HISTORY

   Article and Section Added by Ord. No. 188,755, Eff. 12-10-25.

1. For the purposes of this article, “metal and wire theft” means the theft or removal of metal or wire owned by the City or located on or attached to City property, including, but not limited to, plaques, tombstones, statutes, light standards, posts, railings, and copper wire linked to the 6th Street Bridge, without first having obtained written permission to do so from the City.

2. The City of Los Angeles may pay a reward of $1,000 for information resulting in the identification, apprehension and conviction, ora final adjudication by the Juvenile Court or placement on a supervised program by the probation officer under the provisions of the Welfare and Institutions Code of the State of California, of, or as to, any person or persons who has or have committed acts of metal and wire theft amounting to a misdemeanor.

3. The City of Los Angeles may pay a reward of $5,000 for information resulting in the identification, apprehension and conviction, or a final adjudication by the Juvenile Court or placement on a supervised program by the probation officer under the provisions of the Welfare and Institutions Code of the State of California, of, or as to, any person or persons who has or have committed acts of metal and wire theft amounting to a felony.

4. Any person who is providing or has provided information as to the identity of a person or persons who has or have committed acts of metal and wire theft, shall complete an “Information and Application for Reward” form prepared by and available from the Office of the City Clerk. In the event the applicant is under 18 years of age, the applicant’s parent or legal guardian must also sign the form indicating the parent’s or legal guardian’s consent to the submission of the application. Upon completion, the applicant shall mail the form to the Los Angeles Police Department (Department) at the address indicated on the form. All applications must be submitted within 60 days of the date

of the act referred to in the application.

5. A determination shall be made by the Department, in consultation as necessary with the Office of the City Attorney, Office of the District Attorney, the Probation Department and the Juvenile Court, as to whether the information has resulted in the identification, apprehension and conviction, or a final adjudication by the Juvenile Court or placement on a supervised program by the probation officer under the provisions of the Welfare and Institutions Code of the State of California, of or as to any person or persons who has or have committed an act or acts of metal and wire theft. If the Department determines the applicant has met the criteria of this article for receiving a reward, it shall transmit a report to the City Council recommending payment of a reward. In the event the information resulted in a final adjudication by the Juvenile Court or placement on a supervised program by the probation officer, the name of the juvenile shall not appear in the report and in all other respects the Department shall comply with the confidentiality provisions of the Welfare and Institutions Code of the State of California. If the Department determines that the applicant has not met the criteria to receive a reward, then the Department shall, in writing, notify the applicant. If the applicant disagrees with the determination of the Department, that person may appeal to the City Council. The appeal shall outline in writing the reasons why the person disagrees with the Department’s determination and shall be submitted to the City Clerk within 60 days after the date notification is sent. The City Council decision on appeal shall be final.

6. Upon review of the reports or appeals and any other information, evidence, finding or report it deems relevant, the City Council shall determine whether the information submitted resulted in the identification, apprehension and conviction, or a final adjudication by a Juvenile Court or placement on a supervised program by the probation officer under the Welfare and Institutions Code of the State of California, of, or as to, the person or persons responsible in whole or in part for the act or acts of metal and wire theft. If the City Council by adoption of a motion, resolution or committee report makes this determination, it shall approve the payment of a reward in the sum of $1,000 or $5,000 in the aggregate, as applicable pursuant to Subsections 2 or 3 above, to the person or persons identified as having submitted information, and instruct the City Clerk to file the necessary report with the City Controller to cause the reward to be paid as directed by the City Council, from the Metal and Wire Theft Reward Program Trust Fund.

   SECTION HISTORY

   Article and Section Added by Ord. No. 188,755, Eff. 12-10-25.

1. The determination of whether a reward shall be paid by the City shall be in the sole discretion of the City Council, and neither the provisions of this article nor the furnishing of information in response thereto shall create any legal right or claim to the payment of a reward.

2. The City Council shall have sole discretion in determining whether a reward shall be apportioned among two or more persons. In the event more than one person is entitled to share in the reward, the reward money shall be appropriated equally among claimants unless the City Council determines otherwise.

3. A reward shall be paid only to a natural person or persons and no reward or portion of a reward shall be paid to any corporation, business, club, or other organization either directly or by virtue of any waiver or assignment on the part of a natural person who is the recipient of a reward.

4. No reward shall be paid to a public officer or employee whose employment includes law enforcement duties. Verification of eligibility shall be provided by the Department.

5. No reward shall be paid to any person who has already been or will be compensated by the person’s employer or paid in any other manner for engaging in the actions which form the basis for claiming the reward. Verification of eligibility shall be provided by the Department.

6. No reward shall be paid to any person or persons who committed or were involved in any of the acts of metal and wire theft under consideration. Verification of eligibility shall be provided by the Department.

7. No reward provided for in this article shall be paid without the provisions of the article having been first satisfied and the City Council having first adopted a motion, resolution, or committee report providing for payment of the reward.

   SECTION HISTORY

   Article and Section Added by Ord. No. 188,755, Eff. 12-10-25.

Interest accruing on money deposited into the Metal and Wire Theft Reward Program Trust Fund shall be distributed by the City Treasurer to the General Fund.

SECTION HISTORY

Article and Section Added by Ord. No. 188,755, Eff. 12-10-25.

The City Clerk shall report to the City Council regarding and identifying all receipts into, and all expenditures out of, the Metal and Wire Theft Reward Program Trust Fund, as well as the purposes for which the expenditures were made. Each report shall cover a fiscal year and shall be submitted within 60 days after the close of each fiscal year.

SECTION HISTORY

Article and Section Added by Ord. No. 188,755, Eff. 12-10-25.