(a) Definitions. As used in this section:
“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of the Department of Streets and Sanitation.
(b) Reward – Authorized. The Commissioner, in consultation with the Commissioner of Public Health and the Comptroller, shall establish a reward program for individuals who provide information resulting in a conviction or finding of liability for illegal dumping. City employees shall not be eligible for the reward authorized under this section.
(c) Eligibility criteria. Persons who report alleged instances of illegal dumping to the City, whether through the City’s 3-1-1 system, including any applicable internet-enabled applications or digital platforms, or by otherwise reporting the alleged to the City in accordance with rules promulgated by the Commissioner, will be eligible for a reward of $100 if all of the following requirements are met: (1) the person reporting the violation must identify themselves and provide their contact information; (2) the person reporting the violation must complete and sign the witness report required by the Commissioner; and (3) the witness report must result in a conviction or finding of liability for illegal dumping of the person(s) identified in such report as having committed the violation on the date and at the time set forth in such report.
(d) Reward process. The Commissioner shall be the sole arbiter of whether a person meets the eligibility criteria set forth in subsection (c) of this section, and the Commissioner’s decision shall be final and binding. If the Commissioner determines that a witness report resulted in a conviction or finding of liability for illegal dumping, the Commissioner shall notify the Comptroller. Such notification shall contain the name and address of the person(s) entitled to receive the reward and any other information that the comptroller may require. Upon receipt of such notification, the Comptroller shall issue the reward to the person identified in the notification. If, in a particular case, the Commissioner determines that more than one witness report resulted in a conviction or finding of liability, any reward provided for under this section will be divided equally among the person(s) who signed the applicable witness reports.
(e) Disclaimers. Nothing in this section shall be construed to create a private right of action to enforce this section. The City reserves the right, in its sole discretion, with or without notice, to terminate at any time and for any reason the reward authorized under this section. The City shall not be liable for any damages, whether direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential, related in any way to such reward, or for any consequences following therefrom or related thereto.
(Added Coun. J. 3-20-24, p. 10135, § 1)
Editor’s note – Coun. J. 11-20-19, p. 9510, Art. IV, § 21, repealed former § 7-28-445, which expired on July 1, 2015 and pertained to a pilot program establishing a reward for information leading to a conviction or finding of liability for illegal dumping.