§ 94-153. Definitions.

When used in this Ordinance, the following words, terms and phrases shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

1.

False Report to Public Officer/Law Enforcement Officer. A patently false report to any public officer/law enforcement officer that an alleged violation of a County or State law has been committed, knowing that the conduct or conditions reported do not constitute a violation of law or where the report is patently false and the intent is that a public or law enforcement officer acts in reliance upon the report, which results in the unwarranted expenditure of public resources. A patently false report is one in which the reported violation by the Complaining Party is clearly non-existent and untrue on its face, without the need for protracted investigation.

Examples of patently false reports include but are not limited to instances where:

(a)

A Complaining Party furnishes a public or law enforcement officer with false, forged, fictitious or misleading verbal or written information during the course of reporting a complaint.

(b)

A Complaining Party summons as a joke, prank or otherwise, without any good reason therefore, a public or law enforcement officer to respond to an address where the basis of the matter complained about is false.

2.

Public Officer. A public officer refers to any person authorized by Collier County government to investigate and enforce the Collier County Code of Laws and Ordinances and related provisions arising under State law. Such public officers shall include but not be limited to: Code Enforcement Officers, Domestic Animal Services Animal Control Officers, Building Inspectors and other such County officers authorized to enforce State and local law.

3.

Law Enforcement Officer. Law enforcement officer means any person who is elected, appointed, or employed full time by any municipality or the State or any political subdivision thereof; who is vested with authority to bear arms and make arrests; and whose primary responsibility is the prevention and detection of crime or the enforcement of the penal, criminal, traffic, or highway laws of the state as further defined in F.S. § 943.10.

4.

Complaining Party. A Complaining Party is defined as an individual who makes or submits a patently false report to a public officer or law enforcement officer, which results in an unnecessary outlay of public resources.

5.

Nuisance Service Call. A nuisance service call as defined in this Ordinance is where a Complaining Party reports a patently false violation of County or State law that necessitates a response by a public officer or a law enforcement officer.

6.

Do Not Respond List. The Do Not Respond List is a list maintained by the County containing the names of Complaining Parties who have made two (2) patently false reports of violations of County or State law requiring a response by a public officer or a law enforcement officer. A Complaining Party whose name appears on the Do Not Respond List is identified so that for a period of one year from the date of their second patently false report, no non-emergency public service will be provided in response to future reports of violations of County or State law.

(Ord. No. 2009-42, § 3)