CC RESOLUTION 273012190
RESOLUTION NO. 2730
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
EL SEGUNDO PROTESTING THE PRACTICE OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES OF SELLING THE
NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF CITIZENS UPON REQUEST
TO ANY INDIVIDUAL OR COMPANY SO REQUESTING
AND URGING REPEAL OF THE LAW AUTHORIZING
THIS PRACTICE.
WHEREAS, all citizens of the State of California have a right
to privacy and security in their homes; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Motor Vehicles is authorized by
Vehicle Code Section 1810 to sell information from its records concerning
the registration of any motor vehicle, including the name and address of the
registrant,, as indicated in Exhibit A, attached hereto, incorporated by
reference and made a part hereof; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Motor Vehicles does sell such
information; and
WHEREAS, criminals use such information in selecting victims
for rape and robbery; and
WHEREAS, such information may also be used to find the home address
of police officers, subjecting them to harassment and possible threats; and
WHEREAS, such information is used by advertisers for dissemination
of unsolicited junk mail to all citizens; and
WHEREAS, no discernible public purpose is served by the sale of
such information; and
WHEREAS, this practice results in an invasion of the privacy of
the citizens of El Segundo and all citizens of the State of California.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL SEGUNDO DOES
HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
1. That on beh&lf of the citizens of the City of El Segundo, the
City Council objects to the practice described in this resolution and requests
its termination.
2. That the City Clerk be authorized to send to Governor Edmund G.
Brown, Jr. and to the State Senators and Assemblymen representing El Segundo
and to Herman Sillas, Director of the Department of Motor Vehicles a letter
urging repeal of the Vehicle Code Section 1810, attaching a copy of this
resolution and Exhibit A.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 7th day of December, 1976.
Mayor of the City of El Segundo,
California
ATTEST:
City Clerk
(SEAL)
i
1 421 91
TTIE SOUTH B.AY DAILY
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a
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BY Phil Colonnelli
Siaff writer
Anyone can find out u-ho.you are and where you live I
if they've gnat 75 cents in their pocket and know your
car's license number.
And they don't even have to provide the ncpartrnerit
of Motor Vehicles with a valid reason for re uestin
the information. � g
Police say the result has been use of the information
for rrirninal purposes. F
E
It's all l,flssible because cif Vehicle Code section 1310:
"The -department may sell information from its I
records concerning the registration of any vehicle at a
charge suFficient to paY the actual cost to the depart-
ment for providing the information_"
That law has been on -tlae b Oks since 1935.
"C. imirlals have known ;about ('ills for many years,,**
says Lt. Robert Craw. cr�rnnr: +r�drr of t,jc inglcwa�c�d
rolcce Department's crime pie- VeM20r} hareatt
"VM sure alit th inft,rinalion is usv. -d for many r`
th :ngs," adds C artvlyrt rstant many
bcr of the
Department. of 4Motor Vehicles office in Hawthorne,. t
The information about a car's registered owner is a
matter of public record and anyone can obtain it.
DIMV form 443 is filled out and 75 cents is given the
clerk. Within five working days the information is
mailed and the department doesn't even keep a record
of the request.
To test the system The Daily Breeze took the license
number and car make
of one of its single female I
reporters to the Hawthorne 134MV office and cornpl:et d
the form..
to four days the name and address of the woman was r
obtained. no questions asked. To say that she was
shocked to see a state form bearing �, h+er full name and
address would be an undtrrstatcment.
The information has been used in the past to locate f
attractive women seen driying their cars, police say-
In'scxua) assaults where thLi victim does not know
the attacker, police say this is one way victims are
selected and identifier!.
"There is no question that a ,persona's p, ivary is being `
Invaded,." nays Lt. Craw.
He notes that the state Legislature cancelled a
vehicle section some years ago that ,required rill car
-registrations to be visible friar» outside the vehicle.
"it seems on one hand the law offers protection by
removing the registratior, from plain sight in the car
egad than takes it away by giving the information Drat
for a �:rnall f�,,„ Craw says.
Since the DINlV kc'bp,s no record of who request~ the
information, it :Waxes it impossible for police to trace a
possible criminal by a b.ackcheck of the license data:
Ironically. when the information request is submit-
t,-d to the %MV a form is sib illed which reads: "I certify
Under ,penalty of pc7jijry :hat I have a legitimate and
val ;d reason for requesting informaiion on tree ?anted
ind.i vidu al' 'r' * 2lc;i and tt a'k tie information ��� a-lot `
used for unlawful purposes..>
gy.ach a disclaimer is hardly likely to stow a criminal.
Cra av s,)ys `tae rimy way to get around the problem is
to hate a car registered to a post office box.
--
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES } SS
CITY OF EL SEGUNDO }
it Valerie A. Burrowes City Clerk of the
City of E.1 Segundo, California, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the
whole number of members of the City Council of the said City
is five, that the foregoing Resolution, being Resolution No.
was duly passed and adopted by the said City Council, approved
and signed by the Mayor of said City, and attested by the City
Clerk of said City, all at a regular meeting of the said Council
held on the 7th day of December 1976,
and that the same was so passed and adopted by the fallowing vote:
AYE$: Councilmen gue. Nagel. ockhold
r;
NOES; Councilmen
ABSENT: Councilmen None
WITNESS MY RAND AND THE OFF IC LM., SEAL OF SAM
CITY this 7th day of December 1976
(SEAL)
•
•
City Clerk .
'f the City of El S+' do, CaliforniFi
Deputy