Missing Criminals and System Failures Raise Concerns in Chicago and San Diego

Chicago is grappling with a significant issue as hundreds of alleged criminals on electronic ankle monitors have disappeared. In a troubling development, the Cook County pre-trial program has 246 participants missing, including those charged with severe crimes such as murder, sexual assault, and aggravated battery. Former police chief Tom Weitzel has criticized the program for its security lapses.

Meanwhile, in San Diego, a convicted child sex offender remained missing after a GPS ankle monitor tamper alert. Merle Wakefield, aged 69, was working in Rancho Bernardo when the alert was triggered. Liberty Healthcare, the state contractor tasked with monitoring him, found the device removed after responding to the alert. Wakefield has been untraceable since then.

Wakefield was convicted in 1980 and 1991 for lewd acts with a child under 14 and rape by force. He has been on conditional release since November 2024. San Diego County officials, including Supervisor Jim Desmond, have expressed concern over the ease with which Wakefield removed his monitor and disappeared.

Local authorities had expressed worries ahead of Wakefield’s release. A San Diego judge granted him a transient release, a decision opposed by many including the Poway Mayor, Steve Vaus. Concerns centered around the difficulty in monitoring Wakefield without a fixed address.

The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office and California State Senator Brian Jones have criticized the current system, highlighting issues like limited supervision and financial costs of the program. The state’s Department of State Hospitals has defended the release process, citing strict monitoring protocols.

The current situation underscores a broader debate about community safety and the effectiveness of electronic monitoring systems. Public officials have called for more stringent measures to ensure that dangerous individuals do not pose threats to communities.

San Diego officials urge anyone who sees Wakefield, described as 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 230 pounds with brown eyes, to contact police immediately and not approach him.