Chapter 3.24
SPECIAL FUNDS

Sections:

3.24.070    Police investigation account.

3.24.070 Police investigation account.

(a)    There is hereby established an investigation account allocated to the following three types of law enforcement undercover operation:

(1)    Confidential investigative expenses for the purchase of services and would include travel or transportation of an undercover officer or an informant. The lease of an apartment, business front, luxury-type automobiles, a boat, aircraft or similar effects to establish the appearance of affluence, credibility and a general atmosphere conducive to the undercover role would also be in this category. Meals, beverages, entertainment and similar expenses for undercover purposes, within reasonable limits, would also be included.

(2)    Investigation funds for the purchase of evidence would include the purchase of evidence and/or contraband such as drugs, firearms, stolen property, etc., required to determine the existence of a crime or to establish the identity of a participant in a crime.

(3)    Investigation funds for the purchase of specific information from informants.

(b)    The drug investigation account shall include deposits from the following sources:

(1)    Appropriations by council authorization.

(2)    All moneys and proceeds from the sales of property seized during drug investigations and forfeited pursuant to RCW 69.50.505 and all other applicable state and federal laws.

(3)    All moneys received by the city pursuant to a court order prescribing that such moneys are used for drug enforcement.

(4)    Donations from the public or other organizations.

Investigation account will not exceed seven hundred fifty dollars; overages in funds will be submitted to the city clerk/treasurer to be deposited back into the current expense fund, except funds received as a result of forfeitures under RCW 69.50.505.

(c)    The police investigation account shall be maintained and controlled by the chief of police.

(1)    The chief of police may authorize disbursements and expenditures from the police investigation account solely for the purpose of enforcing state statutes and city ordinances, and only in those situations where a criminal investigation requires the purchase of goods, services or information, and where the circumstances do not allow the normal city purchasing procedures to be utilized. Such disbursements must specify the information to be received, the amount of the expenditures, and assumed name of informer.

(2)    The chief of police will maintain confidential files of the true names, assumed names, and signatures of all informers to whom payments have been made. To the extent practicable pictures and/or fingerprints of the informer payee should also be maintained.

(3)    The chief of police should receive from the authorized official to make a confidential payment a receipt for cash advanced to him/her for such purposes.

(4)    The chief of police will prepare a quarterly report showing status and reconciliation of the investigation account and itemize each payment, name used by informer payee, information received and use to which information was put. This report must be made part of the files and reviewed by the city clerk/treasurer quarterly.

(5)    The police chief should receive from the informer a receipt. See Attachment A.*

(6)    The signed receipt from the informer payee with a memorandum detailing of the information received must be forwarded to the police chief. The chief of police must also evaluate the information received in relation to the expense incurred, and add his/her evaluation remarks to the report.

(7)    Upon separation of appointed police chief, the funds must be turned over to the city clerk/treasurer to be replenished and redistributed to the new police chief. (Ord. 863 § 1, 2009: Ord. 533 § 1, 1987: Ord. 366 §§ 1, 2, 3, 4, 1974).

*    Code reviser’s note: Attachment A is on file in the office of the city clerk/treasurer.