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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2.d. Work Session Predatory Offender Ordinance EXECUTIVE SUMMARY City Council Work Session: February 13, 2017 AGENDA ITEM: Predatory Offenders Regulation AGENDA SECTION: Discussion PREPARED BY: Mitchell Scott, Police Chief AGENDA NO. 2.d. ATTACHMENTS: None. APPROVED BY: LJM RECOMMENDED ACTION: Discussion only. ISSUE Currently, many municipalities throughout Minnesota have created city ordinances governing and restricting where predatory offenders may live within their cities. This trend has caused other municipalities to consider adopting similar ordinances to ensure the safety of their residents. BACKGROUND Recently, a number of cities have passed predatory offender ordinances limiting places where sexual predators can live after they have served time in the Minnesota Sexual Offender Program, which treats high-risk sexual offenders after they are released from prison. There is a concern that group homes for sexual predators are likely to choose to locate in cities that do not have restrictive ordinances. The City of Rosemount currently does not have an ordinance limiting where sexual predators can live. At least 44 cities in Minnesota have some sort of ban on sexual offenders, including Brooklyn Center, Columbia Heights and West St. Paul. Currently a federal judge is pressuring the state to release high-risk sexual offenders from the Minnesota Sexual Offender Program; which is increasing the need for places in which sexual offenders can live. Many municipalities’ predatory offender ordinances spell out areas in the city where predatory offenders would not be permitted to live. For example, predatory offenders would not be allowed to live in areas near places in which children congregate, such as parks and schools. City staff believes it is prudent to consider adopting an ordinance placing some limits on where sexual predators can locate in the community. Attached below please find a story from the Hastings Star Gazette discussing a Level III offender moving to Hastings in February. Hastings does not have an ordinance restricting where he can live, as shown by the Chief’s quote (highlighted), which has caused some concern within the community. RECOMMENDED ACTION Discussion only at this time. 2 Level III predatory offender to move to Hastings this month By Hastings newsroom on Feb 3, 2017 at 3:52 p.m. The city of Hastings has released information regarding a level III predatory offender, Randall Scott Wunderlich, who is scheduled to transition into Hastings the week of Feb. 20. Hastings police have scheduled a community notification meeting regarding Wunderlich at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, in the Hastings Middle School auditorium. Predatory offenders are assessed by a panel of experts prior to their release from prison to determine how likely they are to re-offend. Level III is considered a high risk for re- offense. Wunderlich, 50, is a level III predatory offender. According to the Minnesota Department of Corrections' website, Wunderlich is under intensive supervised release, which "provides intensive supervision of offenders seven days a week, 365 days a year — including four face-to-face contacts weekly, electronic home monitoring, mandatory work or school, daily curfews, mandatory restitution, and random drug testing." Wunderlich was convicted of criminal sexual conduct. He is described as being white, 5- foot-7 and bald with blue eyes and medium build. According to the release, Wunderlich has a history of sexual contact with female victims (age 12 to adult). Contact has included sexual touching and penetration. He gained compliance through intimidation and threats and gained access to an adult victim by breaking into her home. Wunderlich was known to minor victims but not known to the adult victim. He is scheduled to move into the vicinity of Pine Street and Southview Drive in Hastings. The release also states: "This offender is not wanted by the police at this time and has served the sentence imposed on him/her by the court. This notification is not intended to increase fear in the community. Law enforcement believes that an informed public is a safer public. "The Hastings Police Department may not direct where the offender does or does not reside, nor can this agency direct where he/she works or goes to school. The risk level of this offender has been determined largely on his/her potential to re-offend based on his/her previous behavior." 3 A variety of information is available on the city website, www.hastingsmn.gov, including: a fact sheet on Randall Scott Wunderlich, frequently asked questions and predatory offender information. A hard copy of this information will be mailed to residents living within a half mile radius of the home Monday, Feb. 6. For more information about this particular predatory offender or the Predatory Offender Registration Program, contact Lieutenant Joe Kegley at 651-480-2307.