Common Council President Jose Perez
Press Release

Ald. Pérez to propose stricter sex offender residency rules

Meeting on Wednesday will provide info about “troubling” developments

By - Mar 31st, 2015 09:52 am

Prompted by the state Department of Corrections’ refusal to fix a broken sex offender placement system that has resulted in a convicted offender moving into a home directly across the street from Allen-Field Elementary School, Alderman José G. Pérez will propose even tighter restrictions on where such individuals can live in the City of Milwaukee.

“As members of the Common Council, we took steps to protect the public last year when we passed a virtual ban on sex offenders living within 2,000 feet of any place where children congregate,” Alderman Pérez said. “Unfortunately, you can’t legislate common sense, and the state Department of Corrections is turning a blind eye to the flaws in its placement system that will allow this individual to live in a home where he clearly doesn’t belong.”

Alderman Pérez said concerned residents should attend the Milwaukee Police Department community notification meeting Wednesday night, April 1 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Allen-Field Elementary School, 730 W. Lapham Blvd. to learn more.

The Milwaukee Police Department has distributed a Safety Alert Bulletin warning residents that 49-year-old Luis Martinez, who was convicted in 1993 and 2000 with sexual assault of a child, will be living with family at 1609 S. 7th St. The Department of Corrections said that an exception in the city’s sex offender residency restrictions allows offenders to live in a home with adult family members, but Alderman Pérez said that this situation is inappropriate.

“If we can’t count on the state to exercise common sense in its supervision of sex offenders, then the Common Council will have to make crystal clear that the safety of families is our top priority,” Alderman Pérez said. “I am already drafting new legislation that will close this loophole and impose tougher restrictions on where convicted sex offenders can reside.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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