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COUNCIL COMMUNICATION <br />TO: Mayor Sisk and City Council <br />FROM: Bruce Goodman, Chief of Police <br />DATE: April 13, 2004 <br />SUBJECT: Proposed Ordinance to Require Hotel Registration of Guests, Retention of <br />Registration Records, and Inspection of Registration Records <br />ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT: Police Department <br />SUMMARY: <br />The Police Department proposes an ordinance requiring hotels to obtain valid identification from <br />registering guests, and to keep records of that information. Further, the hotel shall maintain such <br />registration information for three years, and the registration information shall be open for inspection by <br />law enforcement. <br />Louisville's hotels operate under a variety of corporate policies and local practices regarding the <br />identification of guests and recording guest identification information. The practices range from <br />requiring the registered guest to present true identification to clerks occasionally accepting cash <br />payments with no real identification of the guest. When the Police Department conducts criminal <br />investigations involving hotel guests, we too often encounter incomplete or bogus registration records. <br />Moreover, hotel corporate policies normally prohibit the sharing of guest information with law <br />enforcement unless we present a subpoena or search warrant. For most cases, law does not require the <br />obtaining of either for hotel registration records, and it is very time consuming. Coincidentally, a hotel <br />seldom limits information about guests when the hotel is the victim of the crime. <br />We have enjoyed an excellent professional relationship with our hotels, and this ordinance will help the <br />hotel managers and their staff by requiring they obtain, maintain and open their guest records without the <br />apprehension of violating cooperate policy. The ordinance will aid the City by deterring guests who <br />would register under aliases, and it will help the police in doing more thorough and timely investigations. <br />This type of ordinance is very common and does not present legal or constitutional issues. The proposed <br />ordinance was drafted by our City Attorney. <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Discussion. <br />ILZ SUBJECT AGENDA ITEM <br />Proposed Ordinance to Require Hotel <br />Registration of Guests, Retention of <br />Registration Records, and Inspection of <br />Registration Records <br />Iv <br />