ORDINANCE NO. _____, SERIES 2017
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AN ORDINANCE CREATING A NEW SECTION OF CHAPTER 39 OF THE LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT CODE OF ORDINANCES ("LMCO") RELATING TO EMPLOYEE AUTHORITY IN IMMIGRATION MATTERS. (AMENDMENT BY SUBSTITUTION)
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SPONSORED BY: COUNCIL MEMBERS BLACKWELL, COAN, GREEN, HOLLANDER, JAMES, SHANKLIN, WOOLRIDGE, BRYANT HAMILTON, MULVIHILL, BUTLER AND JOHNSON
WHEREAS, Louisville Metro is a city of compassion, a city that embraces our foreign-born neighbors and strives to be welcoming, hospitable and safe; and
WHEREAS, Louisville Metro values our growing immigrant and refugee community and wants to ensure its safety and access to needed resources and city services; and
WHEREAS, the Louisville Metro Police Department's ("LMPD") role is to protect and serve all the residents of our community; and
WHEREAS, LMPD works with the community to build relationships that are essential in helping people stay safe and in solving crimes; and
WHEREAS, a broad coalition of police chiefs across the country have taken the position that, "build[ing] trusting and supportive relations with immigrant communities . . . is essential to reducing crime and helping victims"; and
WHEREAS, studies have shown statistically that crime is significantly lower in jurisdictions that have adopted policies that promote positive relationships between residents - regardless of their immigration status - and police, showing on average 35.5 fewer crimes per 10,000 people in such jurisdictions, which would correlate to approximately 2,700 fewer crimes in Louisville Metro each year; and
WHEREAS, the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting reported that LMPD has been assisting U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement to serve local warrants, make traffic stops and knock on the doors of non-violent offenders wanted for immigration offenses; and
WHEREAS, clarity is needed to define local and federal roles, responsibilitie...
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