Assemblyman Koon on Keeping Your Family Safe

Dear Friend,

In 1993, our daughter Jennie was abducted and murdered. Though she managed to call 911 during the attack, the operator was unable to pinpoint her location. This personal tragedy drove me to run for state Assembly and fight for enhanced 911 services (E911). The E911 legislation I authored was incorporated into the 2003 budget, giving dispatchers the ability to locate 911 calls from cell phones.

This year, I introduced legislation requiring that all disposable and prepaid cell phones sold in the state be capable of accessing 911 emergency services and enhanced 911 services. The measure also ensures they are fitted with automatic location identification, regardless of the wireless communication service’s contract status on the device (A.8830). In addition, the legislation includes a 3 percent surcharge on the purchase of any prepaid wireless communication service in order to maintain and enhance the state’s 911 and emergency communication capabilities.

Technology moves fast, and our current 911 system hasn’t been able to catch up. Until these necessary improvements are made, we are putting lives at risk. Customers with wireless contracts already pay this modest surcharge, and assessing it on prepaid customers will help level the playing field, giving the 911 system the funding it needs to ensure that our law enforcement officers can provide all New Yorkers with consistent, high-quality service.

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Dave Koon
Member of Assembly

The SAFE CHILD Program

Statistics show that 34 percent of parents in the United States do not know their child’s exact height, weight and eye color. Possessing up-to-date photographs and detailed information about a child can greatly assist local law enforcement officials in quickly responding to a child’s disappearance.

A SAFE CHILD card includes a child’s name, date of birth, gender, height, weight, hair color, eye color, and fingerprint image.

Safe Child ID Card

For more information on how to obtain a SAFE CHILD card, visit www.monroecountysheriff.info and click on Operation SAFE CHILD on the right hand side of the page.

Protecting our children from dangerous offenders

The New York State sex offender registry allows New Yorkers to access information regarding the whereabouts of sex offenders. State law requires that Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders—those who are the most dangerous to communities—register with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services for the rest of their lives. To access information about sex offenders residing in Monroe County:

Visit http://criminaljustice.state.ny.us/nsor/search_index.htm
Search by one of the following: last name of the offender, county, or zip code

The Assembly recently passed legislation currently awaiting action by the governor that would allow citizens to receive free automatic e-mail notifications about the presence of Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders in their community (A.1242-B). This legislation allows any New York State resident who signs up with the Division of Criminal Justice Services to receive automatic e-mail notifications when a registered sex offender moves into the neighborhood. Residents will be able to request email updates for up to three counties or zip codes. This information will provide families with the information they need to help ensure their children are safe.

Reducing gun violence

The Assembly recently passed a series of measures to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and prevent devastating accidents by ensuring that firearms are kept away from children:

Children’s Weapon Accident Prevention Act
Assemblyman Koon sponsored a measure to create new crimes for failing to store weapons safely and creates a weapons-safety program for schoolchildren (A.5844).

Prohibiting “cop killer” bullets
Assemblyman Koon authored legislation to help protect the state’s law enforcement officers by prohibiting the use of exploding and armor-piercing bullets (A.2881).