VIDEO: On August 28, 2012 the City Council of Lancaster, California unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance restricting residency and presence of persons required to register as Sex Offenders. California RSOL attended the meeting and spoke in opposition and sent a letter in advance to the City Council.
This comprehensive ordinance includes (transcribed from Presentation by Criminal Justice Commission):
- A. Residency Restriction / proximity to schools and parks (per Jessica’s Law)
- B. Residency Restriction / multiple Registrants per residence / hotel
- C. Presence Restriction prohibits presence 300′ from school, day care, park, bus stop near park, public and private playgrounds, public library, public museum, public or private crisis center, shelters, arcades, youth sports facilities, amusement parks where children are present. Movies were not put in the ordinance as restricted places, since all movie theaters in Lancaster have an arcade and, as such, are covered. Exceptions:
- parent accompanying own child
- just walking by restricted area (must prove that not loitering)
- exercising constitutional rights (i.e. assembly, religion)
- lawfully employed within 300′ of restricted area
- placed by DOC
- D. Halloween (5 pm -11:59 pm)
- leave lights off
- not decorate
- not answer the door to children who are trick or treating
A violation of this ordinance would be a misdemeanor.
Are these pathetic people bored? the Lancaster economy is in dire straights who is paying for this besides the 93,000 RSO USA now law abiding citizens and 100’s of thousand family members and tax payers for the policing of these trash ordinance popping up in OC and LA counties. This is a case of outright bullying!!! or ( OH YEAH WELL OUR RSOL’S HAVE TO HOP ON ONE FOOT IF THEY HAVE TO WALK BY ANY OF THESE PLACES) very sad, it is a crime that they are spreading this brain cancer. Have they done a study on how many children have been abducted from any of these places or researched who these RSO are and what they did over the past 30 years? this is creating an unfortunate group of deceived fear mongers… We need to set money a side for doing background checks and past private investigations on who these people are!!! How can the California RSOL get on the offensive and begin suing all these crazy bully council members for creating false massive society fear and possible death posies or vigilantes? It needs to be stopped!!!! What can we do?
California RSOL is preparing to litigate in order to stop the passage of any additional ordinances and to end those that have already been enacted. If you agree that lawsuit(s) need to be filed, please donate today either by clicking on the “Donate” button or by sending a check. Our goal is $10,0000. It’s time to Show Up – Stand Up – Speak Up!
@Pedro – I think Janice Belluci has answered your question as to ‘what can we do’. CA registrants are BLESSED in having a qualified person to take this on, free of charge. But that does not mean the ride will be free. Sadly, these things cost money.
If you or your family are affected, or if you truly care, I would encourage you to hit that PayPal Button and put your money where your mouth is.
Of course a parol officer would speak on behalf of this ordinance. His livelyhood depends on it. Especially since they are deverting prisoners from state prisons to jails for non-violent, non-sex offenses. Which might be creating a lot of jobs for those local probation officers, while elimating jobs for parole agents.
Again, we owe Janice and Frank deep gratitude for their time and efforts on our families behalf.
If every registrant’s family donated 5.00 for a lawsuit, we could raise $450,000 dollars! Or donate what it would cost for a cup of coffee!
I just donated. Let’s stop this now!
Where is the ACLU in all of this?
I’ve never read such a law. In essence, this is something out of Nazi Germany. The City of Lancaster is out of their minds.
Pedro, I agree it’s a crime they are spreading this misinformation like a cancer. We have been personally affected by a new ordinance in Cypress. It’s horrible. For something that happened 25 years ago in ’87 … at the age of 19, with someone a couple years older.
I have talked about this with a friend who lives in Lancaster. She told me (unofficially) that there are many vagrants (because the aircraft industry is dead there) who live in the desert and hang out in the shopping areas, driving shoppers away. She went on to say that 40% of the homes there are in foreclosure. Are they just trying to take the spotlight off their financial problems by making these ridiculous laws?
This story prompted me to send the facts to over 250 of my contacts,many of which have pledged to donate. We need to put a stop to this witch hunt!
Thank you, MM! We hope that others will follow your lead.
Just caught this:
~ 14:30 mark (from the council bench): “… that’s why they give you guns!”
O!M!G!
Rabbitears, you heard it right. The mayor told a fellow member of the city council that’s why we give you guns….to hunt down and shoot registrants. Sounds to me like he is inciting hatred and violence. What are others thinking? He also told all registrants to move out of town.