Loading...
6.1. SR 05-01-2017Request for Action To Item Number Mayor and City Council 6.1 Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by Work Session May 1, 2017 Ron Nierenhausen, Chief of Police Item Description Reviewed by Update on Hotel Criminal Interdiction Cal Portner, City Administrator Reviewed by Action Requested Listen to presentation Background/Discussion Staff will be providing an update on the Elk River Police Departments efforts concerning the Hotel Criminal Interdiction program. Financial Impact None Attachments  Criminal Activity Indicators  State Law Reference To all Country Inn & Suites Employees, Human trafficking(prostitution), drug trafficking and use, and other criminal activity does occur at Hotels across the country. Below is a list of possible indicators of criminal activity;  Guest does not want to leave registration information, gives false info, or checks in late  Guests’ signature does not match name, or has third party rental  Guest claims not to have a vehicle but does, or vehicle seems suspicious rd  Requests room overlooking parking lot, or on 3 floor where there are no cameras  Requests smoking room but does not appear to smoke  Guest staying for one night; pays cash, from out of state, re-ups for additional days  Guest is from surrounding cities  Guest is from one State and vehicle is from another  Room is or appears to be occupied by more people than registered to room  High vehicle traffic in parking lot  High foot traffic associated with one guest or room  Guest requests excessive amount of linens, towels, or restocking of fridge  Appears overly anxious or fearful, always checking parking lot or looking around  Guests’ reason for stay does not make sense, or does not want to engage in small talk  Guest appears to be under the influence of alcohol/drugs  Drugs, the odor of drugs, drug and/or excessive sex paraphernalia found in rooms The above listed indicators are not definitive and may or may not mean that a Guest is involved in criminal activity, and is only designed to be a guide to help you to identify possible criminal activity. You should consult with your Hotel policy, manager, or the Police Department before making the decision to deny or evict a guest based on these criteria alone, however, please do not hesitate to call the Police Department to report any suspected criminal activity. Remember, you are the experts and know what is normal for your Hotel. To all Country Inn & Suites Employees, The following is a list of reasons pursuant MN State Statute 327.73 that you can deny lodging to or eject guests from your premises;  Guest refuses or is unable to pay for accommodations or services.  Guest acts in an intoxicated or disorderly manner, destroys or threatens to destroy hotel property, or causes or threatens to cause a disturbance.  Employee believes that a guest; is using or intending to use the premises for unlawful possession or use of a controlled substance, or alcohol by underage person(s).  Employee reasonably believes that the guest is intending to or has brought property into the hotel that may be dangerous to other persons, such as firearms or explosives.  Guest violates any federal, state, or local laws, ordinances, or Hotel rules that are obviously posted at or near the front desk and on the inside door of every room.  Parents may be held liable for their minor children(s) room, or damages to hotel.  Employees may limit the number of persons who may occupy a particular guest room.  Guest shall be given any unused payment/credit at the time of removal.  Any guest or person who remains or attempts to remain in the hotel after having been requested to leave for any of the above listed reasons is guilty of a misdemeanor. *MN State law requires employees to obtain and all guests/persons staying in a hotel room to give their name, address, and make/model/license plate of their vehicle. Information shall be accessible for inspection by authorities. Any person violating this requirement can be charged with a Misdemeanor, pursuant to MN State Statute 327.10* Please call the Police if you have questions about or want assistance in denying/evicting a guest/person from the premises. Officer Jonathan Christie 3623 Elk River Police Department HOTELS –MOTELS -CAMPGROUNDS •Aknock and talks, surveillance, and operational locating criminals through parking lot sweeps and registration interdiction.to hotels. These are essential to build the foundation for hotel criminal relationships with hotel staff, one day class Students directed were shown toward patrol officers and detectives discussed tactics and indicators to assist in identifying and case law, and planning. (POST Accredited)discussed checks, which can lead to that emphasized state statutes in regards creating ••Ramsey County Assistant Attorney Imran Ali presented on sex traffickingClass was highly educational and will allow me to educate the rest of Police Department HOTEL CRIMINAL INTERDICTION •These are types of crimes discussed in the class, and not necessarily representative of Conduct, Warrants, Missing/Endangered Contact Orders, Juvenile Parties/Runaways, Kidnapping/Abduction, Criminal Sexual Elk RiverPersons, Mental Health •••Sex/Drug/Weapon TraffickingViolations of Harassment Restraining Orders/Orders for Protection/Domestic Abuse No Theft/Burglary/Fraud/Forgery/Stolen Property Suspects/Rings TYPES OF CRIMES THAT OCCUR AT HOTELS •Labor Trafficking: Typically people in the Country illegally who are forced to work under moneyconditions that violate Federal/State/Local laws and threatened if they do not comply ••••Sex Trafficking: People from other countries and US Citizens forced to exchange sex for Investigation/Prosecution requires significant planning/time/resource allocation Polaris Project: Organization dedicated to stopping global human traffickingSex Trafficking, drugs, and weapons all go together HUMAN TRAFFICKING •MN SS 327.10 authoritiesrequired to keep register of all guests.–Every recreational camping area, lodging house, hotel or motel, or resort ••Required information Records shall be kept for 1 year and always accessible for inspection by proper –complete name and address, motor vehicle information MN STATE STATUTES 327 •MN SS 327.70.3: “Hotel” means a supplied for pay to guests for transient out to the public to be, a place where sleeping or housekeeping accommodations are furnished apartment house or other building, which is kept, used or advertised as, or held hotel, motel, resort, boarding house, bed and breakfast, occupancy. MN STATE STATUTES 327.70 •Licensed through MN Department of HealthSuspicious/Drug Activityperiods of less than one week.sleeping accommodations are furnished to the public and furnishing accommodations for any part thereof, used as, maintained as, advertised as, or held out to be a place where •••••78 roomsOpportunity to educate staff to report/prevent problemsLeft information with hotel to educate staff, and have offered trainingTypical calls for service; Noise complaints, Juvenile/Trespassing, Disorderly Conduct, MN Department of Health Definition for a Hotel/Motel: A building, structure, enclosure, or COUNTRY INN & SUITES •Licensed through the MN Department of Health as a Hotel/Motel for 9 units (prior to new futurerequesttransient guests and operator must keep appropriate records and provide them upon construction).. ••••According to MN Department of Health; People Calls for service consistent with apartments in townOwner Planning on adding several more rooms, and hosting monthly events/outreach.said he hasn’t always called Police enough in the past, but plans to more in the staying for extended stays are considered THE LANDMARK MOTEL •MN State Statute 327.14.8: Recreational requesttransient guests and operator must keep appropriate records and provide them upon Area (RCA) for 129 total sitesfive or more tents or recreational camping vehicles free of charge or for publicly owned, used on a daily, nightly, weekly, or longer basis for the accommodation of camping area; any area, whether privately or compensation. •••Licensed through the MN Department of Health as a Large Recreational Campground According to MN Department of Health; People staying for extended stays are considered WAPITI PARK CAMPGROUNDS •Formerly AmericInn Lodge & Suites •••41 roomsCalls for service consistent with other apartments in townCurrently considered to be an apartment complex by City ELK RIVER LODGE & SUITES