Section 54-49 - Reward for information as to high crime or crime resulting in death of police officer or firefighter(a) When any high crime has been committed in any municipality, the chief executive officer of such municipality, as described in section 7-193, may offer, publicly, a reward not exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars, to the person who gives information leading to the arrest and conviction of the guilty person; which reward shall be paid to the informer by the municipality, by order of the court before which such conviction is had.(b) When any crime has been committed in any municipality which results in the death of any police officer or firefighter, the chief executive officer of such municipality, upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the legislative body of such municipality, or when the legislative body is the town meeting, at least two-thirds of those present and voting, may offer publicly, a reward not exceeding twenty thousand dollars, to the person who gives information leading to the arrest and conviction of the guilty person, which reward shall be paid to the informer by the municipality, by order of the court before which such conviction is had.(1949 Rev., S. 8270; P.A. 84-540, S. 5, 7; P.A. 93-425, S. 1.)
A high crime is an immoral and unlawful act, nearly allied and equal in guilt to a felony, but not coming strictly within that denomination. 6 C. 417. Construction of section should be equitable; offer of reward not barred until statute of limitations has run against the crime. 39 C. 159. When city has no power to offer reward. 65 C. 300. Cited. 84 C. 374; 86 C. 437.