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Title:
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Amendment of Municipal Code Sections 2-84-052 and 8-26-080 to provide access to information contained in Gun Offender Registry and Sex Offender Registry databases through United States Postal Service or other such means
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Topic:
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MUNICIPAL CODE AMENDMENTS - Title 2 - City Government & Administration - Ch. 84 Dept. of Police, MUNICIPAL CODE AMENDMENTS - Title 8 - Offenses Affecting Public Peace, Morals & Welfare - Ch. 26 Gun Offender Registration Ordinance
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ORDINANCE
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago is a home rule unit of government pursuant to the 1970 Illinois Constitution, Article VII, Section 6 (a); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to its home rule power, the City of Chicago may exercise any power and perform any function relating to its government and affairs including promoting the quality of life and the welfare of its citizens; and
WHEREAS, people who have been convicted of felony gun offenses pose unique dangers to the people of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, such convicted individuals should be monitored to anticipate recidivism and to ensure their prompt apprehension if the convicted offenders commit further crimes; and
WHEREAS, gun violence has reached epidemic proportions, compromising the safety of all Chicagoans, including our children; and
WHEREAS, Aldermen Burke introduced legislation to create an internal database, requiring all individuals convicted of criminal possession of a weapon to register with the Chicago Police Department which was passed October 3, 2012; and
WHEREAS, the city saw a surge in gun violence in 2016 with 762 homicides, 3,550 shooting incidents, and 4,331 shooting victims, according to published reports citing statistics released by the Police Department; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Police Department maintains a publicly accessible database on its website where concerned residents may search for information about registered gun offenders residing in their neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, Illinois Compiled Statutes (730 ILCS 152/115 (a) and (b) mandate that the Illinois State Police ("ISP") establish and maintain a statewide Sex Offender Database, accessible on the Internet, identifying persons who have been convicted of certain sex offenses and/or crimes against children and must register as a Sex Offender; and
WHEREAS, A sex offender must register with the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction where they reside, and those offenders who reside in the City of Chicago must register with the Chicago Police Department; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Police Department maintains a publicly accessible database on its website where concerned residents may search for information about registered sex offenders residing in their neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Police Department has made tremendous efforts to make this information available; and
WHEREAS, despite these efforts, in part, because of what is often referred to as the digital divide and the lack of access to personal computers, language barriers or lack of awareness about how to find and access such information; and
WHEREAS, law abiding residents of the City of Chicago should have access to vital information relative to the presence of sex offenders and gun offenders residing in their immediate vicinity; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO:
SECTION 1. The above recitals are expressly incorporated herein and made part hereof as though fully set forth herein.
SECTION 2. Chapter 8-26-080 of the Municipal Code of Chicago is hereby by amended by inserting the language underscored as follows:
8-26-080. Gun Offender Community Notification
/V The superintendent shall post the name and address of every registered gun offender on the department's publicly available web site, and shall make the name and address of every registered gun offender in the gun offender registry database searchable with a mapping system which identifies registered gun offenders within 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2 mile of an identified address. The information shall be updated as deemed necessary by the superintendent.
B. The department shall make the information contained in Gun Offender Registry database accessible which identifies registered gun offenders living within one city block of an identified address via the United States Postal Service or other such means as proscribed by the superintendent.
SECTION 3. Section 2-84-052 of the Municipal Code of Chicago is hereby amended by inserting the language underscored as follows:
The superintendent of police shall distribute information received under the Child Sex Offender and Murderer Community Notification Act to the various police districts. This information shall be kept available at the district headquarters for inspection and copying by any member of the public.
The department shall make the information contained in Sex Offender Registry database accessible which identifies registered sex offenders living within one city block of an identified address via the United States Postal Service or other such means as proscribed by the superintendent.
SECTION 4. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect 180 days after passage and
publication. /f /
Al^£»ran Eaward M. Burke, 14th Ward