Cal City gives informants more incentive
CALIFORNIA CITY — A new policy for reward money has been adopted by the City to encourage residents to come forward with information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of those who have committed crimes.
The City Council unanimously voted to approve the policy of $25,000 in rewards during its meeting on Tuesday.
As of Tuesday, the reward money will be allocated from the general fund, but in the next fiscal year and those to follow, the money will come out of the police fund as line
item 18-4212-911.
City Manager Anna Linn said the line item will always stay at $25,000.
“If (the reward money) is used to solve any one of our unsolved cases, it will
be replenished and remain available for all of our victims and unsolved cases,” she said.
If the allotted reward money is used, the police department will be responsible for asking the Council for additional funding to replenish the line item upon approval.
Linn said the City is committed to a total of $225,000 in reward for unsolved cases.
The policy for the reward money was spurred after Orson West, three, and Orrin West, four, were reported missing on Dec. 21.
The boys were last seen in the 10700 block of Aspen Avenue, playing in the backyard of their home while their adoptive father Trezell West was gathering wood to start a fire.
Since their disappearance, the community has rallied together, committing
$120,000 for information in finding Orson and Orrin West including $25,000 from the City.
The West boys are approximately three-feet tall and 30 to 40 pounds. They were last seen wearing black sweatshirts and gray sweatpants.
The California City Police Department is still actively investigating their disappearance with the assistance of the Bakersfield Police Department, Kern County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI.
Anyone with information that can assist in locating the West boys is asked to contact the California City Police Department by calling dispatch at 760-373-8606.