HomeMy WebLinkAbout2.b. Predatory Offender OrdinanceEXECUTIVE SUMMARY
City Council Work Session: April 10, 2017
AGENDA ITEM: Predatory Offenders Regulation AGENDA SECTION:
Discussion
PREPARED BY: Mitchell Scott, Police Chief AGENDA NO. 2.b.
ATTACHMENTS: None. APPROVED BY: LJM
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Discussion only.
ISSUE
Currently, municipalities throughout Minnesota have created city ordinances governing and restricting
where predatory offenders may live within their cities. This has caused other municipalities to consider
adopting similar ordinances to insure the safety of their residents.
BACKGROUND
On February 13, 2017 the Council was advised that 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 ordinances.
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; meanwhile the need is increasing 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, by setting a distance requirement
within a city ordinance.
The Council requested staff to provide further information regarding the issue. City Attorney Mary
Tietjen will be on hand to discuss this item, along with another attorney from Kennedy & Graven that
specializes in this area.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Discussion only at this time.