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Lake Wales (Current through Ordinance 2023-17, Adopted 7-05-2023) |
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Code of Ordinances |
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Chapter 2. Administration |
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Article VII. Program Administration |
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Division 1. Aware Program |
| § 2-700. Legislative intent and statement of policy. [Repealed] |
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Effective on Tuesday, February 7, 2017
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It is the intent of the city commission to establish a program for rewarding with monetary compensation those individuals who provide information which assists law enforcement officials in the arrest of offenders engaged in crimes. Said program shall be known as the AWARE program. |
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(Ord. No. 97-03, § 1, 5-6-97; Ord. No. 98-17, § 2, 10-20-98; Ord. No. 2017-02, § 10, 02-07-2017) |
| § 2-701. Program funding. [Repealed] |
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Effective on Tuesday, February 7, 2017
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The AWARE Program shall be funded by general fund operating revenues. |
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(Ord. No. 97-03, § 1, 5-6-97; Ord. No. 98-17, § 2, 10-20-98; Ord. No. 2017-02, § 10, 02-07-2017) |
| § 2-702. Board of directors. [Repealed] |
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Effective on Tuesday, February 7, 2017
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(a) A board of directors shall allocate informant rewards in excess of five hundred dollars ($500.00) that are distributed through the AWARE program. (b) The board of directors shall consist of seven (7) members. (1) One (1) member shall be a city commissioner and shall be appointed annually by the city commission at the first meeting in October. (2) One (1) member shall be the chief of police or his designee. (3) One (1) member shall be the city manager or his designee. (4) Four (4) members shall be citizens at-large and shall be appointed by the city commission to serve a three (3) year term. At-large members shall reside within the city limits, own property located within the city limits or have a current business tax receipt issued by the city. (c) The members of the board of directors shall adopt rules to conduct its meetings and business and shall elect a chairman to serve a one (1) year term. (d) Meetings of the board of directors shall be called by the chairman as necessary. Four (4) members in attendance shall constitute a quorum. (e) Members of the AWARE board of directors are subject to section 2-26 of the Lake Wales Code of Ordinances which regulates city boards and committees, the Florida Sunshine Law, the Public Records Law, financial disclosure requirements, and all other laws which govern members of public agencies. (f) Members of the AWARE board of directors who are serving on the effective date of ordinance 98-17 (Oct. 20, 1998) shall continue to serve the terms to which they were appointed until expiration of said terms. |
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(Ord. No. 97-03, § 1, 5-6-97; Ord. No. 98-17, § 2, 10-20-98; Ord. No. 2006-47, § 3, 12-5-06; Ord. No. 2017-02, § 10, 02-07-2017) |
| § 2-703. Investigation. [Repealed] |
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Effective on Tuesday, February 7, 2017
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Information received from an informant by any means shall be forwarded to the chief of police or his designee who shall conduct an investigation in accordance with standard departmental operating procedures. |
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(Ord. No. 97-03, § 1, 5-6-97; Ord. No. 98-17, § 2, 10-20-98; Ord. No. 2017-02, § 10, 02-07-2017) |
| § 2-704. Eligibility for reward. [Repealed] |
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Effective on Tuesday, February 7, 2017
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(a) Any person, except as stated in paragraph (b), who provides information which leads to the arrest and filing of information or indictment against an offender committing a crime shall be considered for a reward. (b) Employees of the criminal justice system, members of the board of directors and their immediate families, or victims of the crime or related crime for which information is provided shall not be eligible for reward. (c) If two (2) or more persons furnish information about the same crime, the reward monies shall be awarded as determined by the board of directors. |
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(Ord. No. 97-03, § 1, 5-6-97; Ord. No. 98-17, § 2, 10-20-98; Ord. No. 2017-02, § 10, 02-07-2017) |
| § 2-705. Limit on amount of reward. [Repealed] |
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Effective on Tuesday, February 7, 2017
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An award for information that leads to the arrest and filing of information or indictment against an offender shall not exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.00). |
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(Ord. No. 97-03, § 1, 5-6-97; Ord. No. 98-17, § 2, 10-20-98; Ord. No. 2017-02, § 10, 02-07-2017) |
| § 2-706. Allocation of reward in the amount of five hundred dollars ($500.00) or less. [Repealed] |
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Effective on Tuesday, February 7, 2017
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Up to five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each solved crime may be awarded administratively with the approval of the city manager or his designee upon submittal of a recommendation as provided in section 2-708(a) of this article. |
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(Ord. No. 97-03, § 1, 5-6-97; Ord. No. 98-17, § 2, 10-20-98; Ord. No. 2017-02, § 10, 02-07-2017) |
| § 2-707. Allocation of reward in excess of five hundred dollars ($500.00). [Repealed] |
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Effective on Tuesday, February 7, 2017
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(a) A reward in excess of five hundred dollars ($500.00) for information which has assisted in the solving of a crime shall be awarded at the discretion of the board of directors upon submittal of a recommendation as provided in section 2-708(b) of this article and shall require the concurring vote of the majority present. (b) The board of directors shall have the final authority to determine the amount of the reward when the recommended reward exceeds five hundred dollars ($500.00) and such determination shall give consideration to the relative significance of the arrest and the recommendation of the case officer. |
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(Ord. No. 97-03, § 1, 5-6-97; Ord. No. 98-17, § 2, 10-20-98; Ord. No. 2017-02, § 10, 02-07-2017) |
| § 2-708. Recommendation for reward. [Repealed] |
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Effective on Tuesday, February 7, 2017
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(a) Recommendation for payment of a reward in an amount up to and including five hundred dollars ($500.00) for information which has assisted in the solving of a crime shall be submitted to the city manager or his designee on a standard form created for the purpose. The form submitted shall include a recommended amount of reward and shall not identify the name or address of the informant but shall show the informant's code number and case number. (b) Recommendation for payment of a reward in an amount that exceeds five hundred dollars ($500.00) for information which has assisted in the solving of a crime shall be submitted to the board of directors by the case officer on a standard form created for the purpose. The form submitted shall include a recommended amount of reward and shall not identify the name or address of the informant but shall show the informant's code number and case number. |
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(Ord. No. 97-03, § 1, 5-6-97; Ord. No. 98-17, § 2, 10-20-98; Ord. No. 2017-02, § 10, 02-07-2017) |
| § 2-709. Disbursement of funds. [Repealed] |
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Effective on Tuesday, February 7, 2017
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(a) To pay an informant reward in the amount of five hundred dollars ($500.00) or less, the case officer shall submit a request for disbursement on a standard form created for the purpose. (1) The request for disbursement form shall be approved by the city manager or his designee. (2) The request for disbursement form shall be forwarded to the city clerk and shall be accompanied by the original AWARE request for reward payment form as back-up documentation. Neither the request for reward payment nor the request for disbursement form shall identity the name or address of the informant but shall show only the informant's assigned code number and case number. (b) To pay an informant reward when the amount exceeds five hundred dollars ($500.00), the case officer shall submit a request for disbursement on a standard form created for this purpose. (1) The request for disbursement form shall be approved by a member of the board of directors other than the chief of police or his designee. The request for disbursement form shall bear the signature of the city manager in addition to the signature of another member of the board of directors. (2) The request for disbursement form shall be forwarded to the city clerk and shall be accompanied by the original AWARE request for reward payment form as back-up documentation. Neither the request for reward payment nor the request for disbursement form shall identity the name or address of the informant but shall show only the informant's assigned code number and case number. (c) Disbursement of funds for rewards shall be the administrative responsibility of the city clerk who shall prepare a confirming requisition and forward requests for disbursement to the finance department for processing. (1) The reward shall be paid in the form of a city check made payable to the case officer and shall reference the informant's code number and case number. (2) After making a disbursement, whether by check or by transfer to another account, the finance department shall "cancel" the request for disbursement form by stamping it paid and indicating the check number or other method of disbursement. (3) Checks payable to the case officer shall be forwarded to the city clerk. (4) All canceled request for disbursement forms shall be returned to the city clerk immediately upon disbursement of funds. The city clerk shall maintain a file containing all canceled forms with appropriate back-up documentation. (d) After receiving the check from the finance department, the city clerk shall release the check to the case officer requesting the disbursement. (1) The city clerk shall indicate on the canceled request for disbursement form the check number, date of release to the case officer, and verification of code number, case number and check amount. (2) The case officer shall indicate receipt of the check from the city clerk by placing his/her signature on the receipt line of the canceled request for disbursement form. (3) No check shall be released unless the receipt is signed by the case officer and initialed by the city clerk. (e) The reward shall be released to the informant and a receipt obtained by the case officer in accordance with standard departmental operating procedures; such receipt shall be maintained in the department's confidential files but shall be available for audit by the city's auditors. |
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(Ord. No. 97-03, § 1, 5-6-97; Ord. No. 98-17, § 2, 10-20-98; Ord. No. 2017-02, § 10, 02-07-2017) |