BP DIAZ RENEWS CALL FOR GUN CRIME REGISTRY

Online database would make info on gun crime offenders public, similar to that currently available to monitor convicted sex offenders

  In the wake of mass shootings in Brownsville, Brooklyn; El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is renewing his call for the New York City Council to pass legislation to create a public gun crime registry.

“Enough is enough,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “The scourge of gun violence that has rocked this country in recent weeks—as well as Washington’s continued refusal to act on these tragedies—requires us to implement strong local solutions. The recent shooting in Brownsville showed us quite clearly that perpetrators of gun violence demonstrate a flagrant disregard for human life and the health of the community. They need to be exposed.”

Borough President Diaz’s public registry, which he first proposed in 2013, would be available online and would allow members of the public to search for information about gun offenders who live in their areas. Information about gun crime offenders, under this proposal, would be publicly available so long as they are required to remain on the registry. The NYPD would publish this information on their website in a searchable database.

Members of the public would be able to:

  Access information about offenders including their names, partial addresses and photographs.
  Search for offenders living in their communities.
  Sign up for email updates whenever a gun offender moves into their neighborhood.

“As a city, we must be willing to expose those among us who have made our communities unsafe through gun violence. We must shine a clear spotlight on those who would terrorize our neighborhoods with guns,” said Borough President Diaz. “I look forward to working with my colleagues at every level of government and community leaders throughout the city to see this law enacted.”