Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Sheriff Warns About Sex Offenders On Halloween

Florida's Registered Offenders Have Increased By 74% Says Sheriff
OKEECHOBEE, FL. -- Where are sex offenders on Halloween? Worried about your kids knocking on doors of sex offenders while trick or treating? Okeechobee County currently has one juvenile offender, 77 offenders and six predators that register with the Sheriff’s Office. 

Florida's number of registered sex offenders is rising dramatically. While the U.S. has seen a 23 percent overall increase in the number of registered sex offenders in the past five years, Florida has seen a whopping 74 percent increase.

Restrictions can vary from case to case, depending on court-ordered probation requirements and the crimes committed. Some offenders and predators have no restrictions. But, for the most part, offenders and predators aren't allowed to put up Halloween decorations, or in any way entice kids to come to their doors. 

"The overall focus is to keep children safe, especially on a night when there's so many of them outdoors," says Okeechobee Sheriff Paul May.
To search your neighborhood, check out the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Florida Sexual Offenders and Predators website, fdle.state.fl.us. The website allows users to find any sex offenders and predators living within a five-mile radius of a particular address in Florida. 

When you search the state database, you have several options. If you are looking for a particular person, you can type in as much or as little information as you know. In most cases, you will want to do a very broad search. Simply typing your ZIP code into the search tool will give you a list (with photos if they are available) of every registered sex offender who shares your ZIP code. 

Further down on the database search form, you will find the option to search within a one mile radius of an address you choose.

Typing in your address will build a map that pinpoints the home (and in some cases, the work address) of every registered sex offender within a mile of your home.

Sheriff May said, “In this day and time, we must use good common sense. Parents go with your children, watch what they collect at houses. If suspicious, throw it away but the most important thing is watch your children at all times.”

The Sheriff’s Office would ask that all Trick-or-Treaters be done by 9:00 p.m.

1 comment:

  1. Law Enforcement in every state restricting sex offenders from participating in Halloween have done intense sweeps and what they have found is frightening. Hundreds and hundreds were in possession of items for luring which are in direct violation of their SO status. There is a reason we keep freaks away from kids. This weeks "sweeps" on sex offenders should validate that reason.

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