[Adopted 2-5-2013 by L.L.
No. 10-2013]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meaning indicated:
The Commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Social
Services or his designee.
A residential facility providing temporary (nondomicile)
housing to at least four individuals or families who or which are
homeless, for which such temporary use and occupancy of the housing
facilities the owner or primary tenant of the property receives compensation,
either directly from the temporary occupant or through reimbursement
from a third party on behalf of such temporary occupant, or both.
Said facility may also provide ancillary services such as counseling,
treatment or other support services.
An individual registered with the State Division of Criminal
Justice Services pursuant to the provisions of SORA.
The Suffolk County Police Department.
The New York State Sex Offender Registration Act (Correction
Law Article 6-C).
A.
The Commissioner of the SCPD and/or his designee is hereby authorized
and empowered to execute a contract for a term not to exceed three
years at a total cost to the County not to exceed $900,000 per County
fiscal year with Parents for Megan's Law to provide, among other things,
for the:
(1)
Verification of residency reporting of all registered sex offenders
who are not homeless and who are required to report pursuant to SORA:
(2)
Proactive monitoring of registered sex offenders to ensure accurate
reporting of registered sex offender addresses, which includes monitoring
of social media for address verification and to ensure registered
sex offenders are not using social media in violation of applicable
law;
(3)
Development of a system for community reporting of SORA violations;
(4)
Development of community email alert and website enhancements to
provide notification of registered sex offenders;
(5)
Provision of crime victim services; and
(6)
Provision of community outreach and prevention education.
B.
The SCPD is authorized to utilize available resources within appropriations
to enhance or develop and implement registered sex offender monitoring
and enforcement which may include, but not be limited to:
(1)
Strengthening address verification efforts, including shelter site
verification;
(2)
Electronic distribution of registered sex offender addresses, photos,
motor vehicle driver and registration information, etc. to sector
patrols;
(3)
Establishing permanent patrol checks;
(4)
Developing patrol officer intelligence reports for each officer-registered
sex offender contact; and
(5)
Developing watch lists.
A.
Notwithstanding the provisions of any other local law or resolution,
hard-to-place individuals seeking emergency housing assistance shall
be placed at an emergency shelter designated by the Commissioner consistent
with New York State Law after consultation with the SCPD, except that
no more than one hard-to-place individual shall be placed at any location
and, to the extent practicable, clustering in any community should
be avoided.
B.
In the event that an emergency shelter is not available at any time
for a hard-to-place individual, assistance shall be provided as determined
in the judgment of the Commissioner consistent with New York State
Law after consultation with SCPD and to ensure public safety and avoidance
of clustering in any one community to the greatest extent practicable.
C.
In every case where housing assistance is provided to a hard-to-place
individual, the hard-to-place individual shall report his or her overnight
location within one hour of checking in, registering, being placed,
etc., in an emergency shelter or by 11:59 p.m. each day, whichever
is earlier, to the SCPD.
D.
The SCPD shall establish a toll-free number dedicated to receiving
calls from hard-to-place individuals to report a detailed physical
description of their emergency shelter location. The Commissioner
shall provide the toll-free number dedicated for this purpose to each
hard-to-place individual receiving assistance under this Community
Protection Act.
E.
The Commissioner shall provide written notice of the reporting requirements
of this Community Protection Act to all hard-to-place individuals
seeking emergency shelter.
The Commissioner, after consultation with SCPD to ensure public
safety and avoidance of clustering in any one community to the greatest
extent practicable, is hereby authorized, empowered and directed:
Any person who fails to report his or her overnight locations
as required by the Community Protection Act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor
punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to one year in jail.
