Aggrostats

October 30, 2008

Louisiana State Police – Troop I, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafayette City Police and Department of Corrections Probation and Parole will partnership to keep a close eye on sex offenders during the 2008 Halloween events.

To protect their children, parents can go to the Statewide Sex Offender Database and search for offenders in neighborhoods before they bring their children to trick-or-treat. The Sex Offender Database will allow citizens to search names, specific addresses or a radius based on zip codes. This will identify sex offenders living in those certain areas. If a sex offender is participating in trick-or treating at a known address identified by the Database; citizens need to contact their local law enforcement, with specific identifying information or us. All supervised sex offenders who are not working Halloween night must be at home, with outside lighting turned off. Sex offenders cannot open their doors to trick-or-treaters.

Some Probation and Parole Districts are requiring sex offenders to report to the district office during trick-or-treating times so that supervised sex offenders are nowhere near children during those times. The required office visit also serves an additional useful role. Probation and Parole officers use this time as an opportunity to educate offenders on changes to the law in terms of registration or reporting requirements. It’s a good opportunity for the sex offender to get all the information he or she may need to make sure they are following all local, state and federal laws. For those districts not holding educational meetings, law enforcement officers will be conducting random spot checks to ensure sex offenders are at home and following the rules set for them.

While law enforcement does its best to protect children during Halloween, it is imperative; parents keep a watchful eye out as well.