Report to Mayor and City Council
Wednesday, July 05, 2023
Discussion
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER INTRODUCING ORDINANCE 23-2305 TO ESTABLISH PROCEDURES FOR CITY OFFERS AND PAYMENT OF REWARDS FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE APPREHENSION AND CONVICTION OF ANY PERSON WHOSE WILLFUL MISCONDUCT RESULTS IN INJURY OR DEATH TO ANY PERSON (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
This item is on the agenda at the request of Mayor Davis-Holmes and transmits an ordinance to set procedures for rewards established by the City Council for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of any person whose willful misconduct results in injury or death to any person.
The proposed ordinance for the City of Carson provides that rewards may be offered in an amount up to $25,000 in City funds and can be increased up to $50,000 where the crime at issue was particularly heinous or it appears the community is at great risk, or where the City Council is extending an offer of reward due to necessary information not having been provided following the initial offer of reward. The ordinance also allows for private donations to be added to City funds to increase the amount of any reward offer.
The City Attorney’s Office drafted the proposed ordinance and considered similar ordinances from other agencies including the County of Los Angeles and the cities of Moreno Valley, Lawndale, Compton, and Los Angeles. Los Angeles County has a cap of $10,000 payable in equal shares from the five Supervisorial discretionary funds; Moreno Valley has a $10,000 cap; Lawndale has a $5,000 cap; Compton has a $25,000 cap; and Los Angeles has an initial cap of $50,000, a cap of $75,000 when there are multiple victims or when the victim(s) were Criminal Justice Personnel or a Witness to a Crime, and a cap of $100,000 if the victim(s) were Public Safety Personnel of the City.
Approval of the Recommendation below would add a new Chapter 12 entitled “Criminal Information Rewards” to Article III (Public Safety) of the Carson Municipal Code.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
INTRODUCE, for first reading by title only and with full reading waived, Ordinance No. 23-2305, entitled “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, ADDING A NEW CHAPTER 12 (CRIMINAL INFORMATION REWARDS) TO ARTICLE III (PUBLIC SAFETY) OF THE CARSON MUNICIPAL CODE TO ESTABLISH PROCEDURES FOR CITY OFFERS AND PAYMENT OF REWARDS FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE APPREHENSION AND CONVICTION OF ANY PERSON WHOSE WILLFUL MISCONDUCT RESULTS IN INJURY OR DEATH TO ANY PERSON” (Exhibit No. 2).
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III. ALTERNATIVES
TAKE any alternative action deemed appropriate and that is consistent with applicable laws.
IV. BACKGROUND
The City Council has previously established rewards for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of individuals responsible for certain crimes in the City. This item is on the agenda at the request of Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes to codify regulations pertaining to the financial amount and manner in which awards would be established, vetted, and paid by the City.
The proposed ordinance is included as Exhibit 1.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
There is no anticipated fiscal impact since this item pertains only to introducing the proposed ordinance for first reading. If the ordinance is ultimately codified, the fiscal impact will depend on how many awards are paid out in the future, which is unknowable at this time. As noted in the proposed ordinance, the maximum allowable payment of City funds per award would be $50,000 subject to any additional private donations.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Ordinance No. 23-2305 (pgs. 3 - 7)
Prepared by: City Attorney's Office and City Manager's Office