(A) There is hereby created a Putnam County Asset Forfeiture Fund.
(B) The Fund shall consist of deposits in the form of proceeds recovered by the office of the County Prosecuting Attorney and/or the County Sheriff’s Department and/or the Greencastle City Police Department and/or the Indiana State Police in forfeiture actions filed pursuant to I.C. 34-24-1-2 and I.C. 34-24-1-1, which may include liquidations of personal or real property obtained from criminal defendants in those actions; donations; costs pursuant to I.C. 34-24-1-3; and voluntary surrenders of funds and assets from criminal defendants.
(1) The Asset Forfeiture Fund shall be appropriated for funding law enforcement activities, including, but not limited to, drug enforcement activities conducted by the County Sheriff’s Department, the Greencastle City Police Department, the Indiana State Police Department, special crime units, substance abuse education programs and for public safety purposes and for the reimbursement of expenses incurred by the County Prosecuting Attorney’s office in pursuing forfeiture and RICO actions.
(2) All monies collected under this section shall be transferred to the County Auditor who shall deposit said funds in the County General Fund with the County Treasurer per I.C. 34-24-1-4. Disbursement of these funds shall be requested by the County Prosecutor subject to the requirements of division (B)(3) below. Monies remaining in the fund at the end of the year shall not revert to any other fund but shall continue in the General Fund.
(3) Monies from this Fund shall be subject to the disbursement requirements of the County Commissioners in accordance with I.C. 36-2-3.5-4 and I.C. 36-2-6-2 with the additional requirement that all claims must be presented and approved by the County Commissioners prior to the obligation or expenditure of any funds.
(4) Said funds, after claim approval, shall be used for and on behalf of the aforementioned agencies for any and all law enforcement activities including investigations, training, maintaining and purchasing equipment, public safety and law enforcement costs pursuant to I.C. 34-24-1-3.
(Ord. 2010-1-19, passed 1-19-2010)