(a) Council is hereby authorized to provide for the payment of a reward, not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) to any individual, or group of individuals who provide(s) information and full cooperate with law enforcement leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of any individual or individuals charged and convicted of any property offense against the Village.
(b) “Property offenses” as used in this section shall include, but are not limited to the following: Criminal Damaging or Endangering (Section 541.03 of the Codified Ordinances or the comparable section of the Ohio Revised Code); Criminal Mischief (Section 541.04 of the Codified Ordinances of the comparable section of the Ohio Revised Code); Destruction of Shrubs, Trees or Crops (Section 541.06 of the Codified Ordinances or the comparable section of the Ohio Revised Code); Desecration (Section 541.07 of the Codified Ordinances or the comparable section of the Ohio Revised Code); Vandalism (Section 2909.05 of the Ohio Revised Code).
(c) Signage shall be clearly posted on Village owned property notifying the general public of the provisions of this section.
(d) No Village employee or elected official is authorized or permitted to receive any reward that might otherwise by available pursuant to this section.
(e) Nothing in this section is intended to reduce, diminish or limit the potential penalties that an individual would otherwise be subject to as provided by Section 501.99 of the Codified Ordinances or any other comparable penalties provision of the Ohio Revised Code.
(f) Prior to the payment of any reward pursuant to this section, it shall be the joint responsibility of the Chief of Police, Mayor and Village Prosecutor to determine who is entitled to the reward, if anyone, based upon, but not limited to, the following: the nature of the information provided by the individual; when the individual provided the information to the Police Department; whether the information provided was already known to the Police Department; and the circumstances as to how the individual became aware of the information. Only one reward shall be paid for any given criminal act.
(g) In order to be considered eligible for any reward, the individual or individuals must provide the information to the Village Police Department in writing on forms provided specifying the time and date such information was provided and testify at any and all court proceedings when requested.
(Ord. 2002-12. Passed 6-18-02.)