Wilmington councilman proposes gun offender registry, draws criticism

Any Wilmington resident convicted of a gun-related offense could be required to register with the city police department and check in with police every six months — or face jail time and/or up to a $1,000 penalty — if new legislation is passed by City Council.

The Gun Offender Registration Act, introduced by Councilman Bob Williams on Thursday, would require all Wilmington residents convicted of a gun crime in the state of Delaware to register with the police within two business days of their release from incarceration.

"We keep saying over and over and over that it’s a small percentage of the population that is wreaking the most havoc and my idea was to target that population," Williams said.

If enacted, the law would act similarly to the sexual offender registry, requiring registrants to be photographed, periodically verify personal information, and provide notification of change of address for a period of three years. If the individual commits another gun crime, the three-year term would start again.

Read more: http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2017/06/18/wilmington-councilman-proposes-gun-offender-registry-draws-criticism/396732001/