A. Pursuant to Section 53069.5 of the Government Code, the City does hereby offer a reward of five hundred dollars for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any person for violation of Penal Code Section 594, the use of graffiti, not to exceed one thousand five hundred dollars per violation. In the event of multiple contributors of information, the reward amount shall be divided by the City in the manner it shall deem appropriate. For the purposes of this section, diversion of the offending violator to a community service program, or a plea bargain to a lesser offense, shall constitute a conviction.
B. Claims for rewards under this section shall be filed with the City. Each claim shall:
1. Specifically identify the date, location and kind of property damaged or destroyed;
2. Identify by name the person who was convicted of, or who confessed to, the damage or destruction of the property;
3. Identify the court and the date upon which the conviction occurred or the place and the date of the confession;
4. No claim for a reward shall be allowed by the City Council unless authorized by the Chief of Police after investigation and verification of the accuracy of the claim and recommendation that it be allowed. The investigation must determine that the claimant's information was relevant and directly responsible for the arrest and conviction of the suspect;
5. The person committing the graffiti and, if that person is an unemancipated minor, then the custodial parent of said minor, shall be liable for any rewards paid pursuant to this section.
C. Reimbursement of Car Phone Air Time. The City shall reimburse to any person reporting by means of a mobile or cellular phone an act of graffiti vandalism or existence of graffiti within the City limits in the amount of the direct phone charges exclusive of taxes, etc., incurred by the person. (Ord. 2852, 1994; Ord. 2833 (part), 1993).