University of California Santa Cruz Police Department
UC Santa Cruz PD Policy Manual

 

 

Registered Offender Information

357.1     PURPOSE AND SCOPE

This policy establishes guidelines by which the University of California Santa Cruz Police Department will address issues associated with certain offenders who are residing in the jurisdiction and how the Department will disseminate information and respond to public inquiries for information about registered sex, arson and drug offenders.

 

357.2     POLICY

It is the policy of the University of California Santa Cruz Police Department to identify and monitor registered offenders living within this jurisdiction and to take reasonable steps to address the risks those persons may pose.

 

357.3     REGISTRATION

The Detective Bureau Supervisor shall establish a process to reasonably accommodate registration of certain offenders. The process should rebut any allegation on the part of the offender that the registration process was too confusing, burdensome or difficult for compliance. If it is reasonable to do so, an investigator assigned to related investigations should conduct the registration in order to best evaluate any threat the person may pose to the community. Employees assigned to register offenders should receive appropriate training regarding the registration process.

Upon conclusion of the registration process, the investigator shall ensure that the registration information is provided to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) in accordance with applicable law (Health and Safety Code § 11594; Penal Code § 457.1; Penal Code § 290 et seq).

The refusal of a registrant to provide any of the required information or complete the process should initiate a criminal investigation for failure to register.

 

357.3.1 CONTENTS OF REGISTRATION

The information collected from the registering offenders shall include a signed statement as required by the California DOJ, fingerprints and a photograph and any other information required by applicable law (Health and Safety Code § 11594; Penal Code § 457.1; Penal Code § 290 et seq.).

 

357.4     MONITORING OF REGISTERED OFFENDERS

The Detective Bureau Supervisor should establish a system to periodically, and at least once annually, verify that a registrant remains in compliance with his/her registration requirements after the initial registration. This verification should include:

 (a) Efforts to confirm residence using an unobtrusive method, such as an Internet search or drive-by of the declared residence.

 (b) Review of information on the California DOJ website for sex offenders.

 (c) Contact with a registrant's parole or probation officer. Any discrepancies should be reported to the California DOJ.

The Detective Bureau Supervisor should also establish a procedure to routinely disseminate information regarding registered offenders to University of California Santa Cruz Police Department personnel, including timely updates regarding new or relocated registrants.

 

357.4.1 COUNTY PROTOCOL

Additional information is contained in a County-wide protocol that has been adopted by all agencies in this county.

 

357.5     DISSEMINATION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION

Employees will not unilaterally make a public notification advising the community of a particular registrant's presence in the community. Employees who identify a significant risk or other public safety issue associated with a registrant should promptly advise their supervisor. The supervisor should evaluate the request and forward the information to the Chief of Police if warranted. A determination will be made by the Chief of Police, with the assistance of legal counsel as necessary, whether such a public alert should be made.

Members of the public requesting information on sex registrants should be provided the Megan's Law website or the University of California Santa Cruz Police Department's website.

The Communications Manager may release local registered offender information to residents only in accordance with applicable law (Penal Code § 290.45; Penal Code § 290.46; Penal Code § 457.1; Health and Safety Code § 11594), and in compliance with a California Public Records Act (Government Code § 6250-6276.48) request.

357.5.1 LIMITED RELEASE WITHIN COLLEGE CAMPUS COMMUNITY

California law allows the following additional information regarding a registered sex offender on campus, whose information is not available to the public via the Internet website, to be released to a campus community (Penal Code § 290.01(d)):

 (a) The offender's full name

 (b) The offender's known aliases

 (c) The offender's sex

 (d) The offender's race

 (e) The offender's physical description

 (f) The offender's photograph

 (g) The offender's date of birth

 (h) Crimes resulting in the registration of the offender under Penal Code § 290

 (i) The date of last registration

For purposes of this section, campus community shall be defined as those persons present at  or regularly frequenting any place constituting campus property, satellite facilities, laboratories, public areas contiguous to the campus and other areas set forth in Penal Code § 290.01(d).

357.5.2 RELEASE NOTIFICATIONS

Registrant information that is released should include notification that:

 (a) The offender registry includes only those persons who have been required by law to register and who are in compliance with the offender registration laws.

 (b) The information is provided as a public service and may not be current or accurate.

 (c) Persons should not rely solely on the offender registry as a safeguard against offenses in their communities.

 (d) The crime for which a person is convicted may not accurately reflect the level of risk.

 (e) Anyone who uses information contained in the registry to harass registrants or commit any crime may be subject to criminal prosecution.

 (f) The purpose of the release of information is to allow members of the public to protect themselves and their children from sex offenders (Penal Code 290.45).

 

 

 

Policy 357 PDF