[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book I)]
[April 7, 1994]
[Pages 635-636]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on the District Court Decision on Chicago's 
``Operation Clean Sweep''
April 7, 1994

    Just hours ago, a Federal District Court for the Northern District 
of Illinois, Eastern Division, declared the Chicago Housing Authority's 
(CHA) search policy in violation of the fourth amendment.
    I am ordering Attorney General Reno and Secretary Cisneros to 
develop promptly a search policy for public housing that is both 
constitutionally permissible and effective and that can be implemented 
on a nationwide basis. We must

[[Page 636]]

not allow criminals to find shelter in the public housing community they 
terrorize.
    I have also asked the Attorney General and Secretary Cisneros to 
explore what other resources we can provide for sweeps by localities and 
by Federal agencies.
    During the last weekend in March, 13 people died violently in 
Chicago--3 of them in the Robert Taylor Homes--and more than 300 gun 
incidents were reported to local police. The people in the Robert Taylor 
Homes have asked us to help protect them, and within constitutional 
limits we will do so.