ACKSON, Georgia (WSYX/WTTE) — A Georgia sheriff’s office is placing “No Trick-or-Treat” signs in sex offenders’ yards in an effort to keep children safe.
“As Sheriff, there is nothing more important to me than the safety of your children,” said Butts County Sheriff Gary Long. “This Halloween, my office has placed signs in front of every registered sex offender’s house to notify the public that it’s a house to avoid.”
Long said Georgia law forbids registered sex offenders from participating in Halloween. That includes decorating their property or handing out candy.
The sheriff told residents to keep an eye out for signs marking the sex offenders’ houses.
The sign reads, “WARNING! NO TRICK-OR-TREAT AT THIS ADDRESS!!’
Seems like a compelled speech issue. How does this sheriff know that there aren’t any tricks at this house and maybe even a treat?
This Sheriff is too stupid to keep anyone safe and it amazes me that he found voters even more stupid than him. A “Walking Tall” Buford Pusser he is not. I wonder how many signs are posted in the yards of registrants with innocent children? Everyone is complaining about haters and violence but here is a law enforcement official leading the pack under the guise of legal enforcement, now pass the donuts.
Had my daughter post on the sheriff’s Facebook page, since I can’t.
First, he’s lying about Georgia law – there is no such law precluding registrants from Halloween. The restrictions we’re all accustomed to now only apply to those on parole or probation.
Second, his deputies going onto the yards and leaving those signs there without consent of the property owners/renters is trespassing, pure and simple. Just as much if they went on there and left burning crosses or piles of dogshit.
Third, I’m willing to bet trespassing isn’t covered by the statute he named requiring him to notify the public of SO presence. That the registry itself is supposed to be such notification aside, the statute usually just refers taking an ad out in the legal organ or sending out fliers, and was intended to keep the sheriff from getting sued for (maliciously) trumpeting the notice already provided by the registry itself.
If I wasn’t on paper and it were me, I’d tear up the sign up as soon as I saw it and dare them to arrest me. If they did, I’d sue them for trespassing and seek the damages (overblown as much as possible) resulting from the arrest.
“As Sheriff, there is nothing more important to me than the safety of your children,” said Butts County Sheriff Gary Long.
Wow, personal and emotional bias much? It doesn’t matter what HE “thinks” is important. They are just going after the easy, low-hanging fruit for a cheap and easy PR stunt in an effort to repair police – community relations.
If this measure is for advisory purposes, it’s still a reverse cry wolf, fear mongering and taking false credit for minimizing risk.
The pure ignorance of the Sheriff (with his tactics to look all “tough” and caring is so pathetic, I just want to ‘Throw Up’. MY 2 insights into this matter causes me to “scratch my head” (if he is so worried about the children). I’m confused why, no where in this story talking about this load of “garbage”, does it offer other/ additional sorts of Precautions that should be taken into consideration “for the safety of the children” (such as careless drivers or intoxicated drivers WHICH ACTUALLY HAS HIGH PERCENTAGE OCCURRENCES). AND, the 2nd thing that confuses me, as to WHY a sign even needs posted ? Because the lights on the house (porch, etc) is supposed to be Off. So when I used to go trick or treat as a child, when you came to a house that didn’t have their lights on, you just continued on past. So if their lights are Off, what’s the purpose of the sign ? Oh…… that’s right. To further inflict public humiliation. GET A LIFE SHERIFF !!! (…….or do you have skeletons in YOUR closet, that your trying to divert perception and look tough).?
sounds like barney fife is alive and well in ga
After researching a bit more, it’s come to my attention that these deputies are trespassing. Despite the Long’s claims to the contrary, there are no state statutes or county/city ordinances regarding registrants’ restrictions on Halloween. Pretty sure leaving a sign there without permission of the property owner/renter doesn’t fall under probable cause or reasonable suspicion to enter.
If I were in that county and not on paper, I’d be calling the GBI and State Patrol to press charges against Sheriff Long for trespassing, and would do so as publicly as possible. Personally, I’m getting really sick of LE bending and ignoring the law just to harass.
The only reason this coward is doing this is because of the issue that took place with the other officer wanting to lock people up in the town hall. He has to show his support even if it proves he’s ignorant. Well he’s proved that!
SO, you want to notify the public of the registrants, but have no timeline as to when you should do that, eh Sheriff? You wait until you can get max exposure of your signs and embarrassing people by placing them when the most people are walking the neighborhoods? Is there no other way to notify the public that is not physically placing a sign in the yard? Is there any possibility you or your staff will be out checking on the signs tomorrow to ensure they are in place still before the minions come walking through? What if the sign is not in the yard? What are you going to do? Trespass again to place another in a certain compelled speech effort? Who is going to come get the sign once Oct 31 has gone on the calendar if the sign is still posted? Is it the property of the person whose yard it was placed in? Is that not considered dumping or littering by legal standards if you don’t come get it once its applicable time period is over if the sign is still posted? Election signs have a timeline to be gone, so is this any different? Had you just placed the signs without any tie to registrants, would anyone thought differently about the sign other than “no treats at this house”?
Are you going to do the same signs for the Christmas and New Year season when DUIs reach higher data points of happening by those who have a DUI?
Who is contacting the city or county general counsel to discuss this matter from the registrant’s POV?
Intriguing. The Registry started out with people being able to visit a police station and view registered people. Then, came the internet, beaches, parks, residence restrictions, computer use, Facebook use, job restrictions, travel restrictions and now this? It’s honestly pretty nuts and almost surreal? What’s next? Yet, we have legislators wanting more? I’m really shocked! Maybe someone from what’s supposed to be the most compassionate and giving countries in the world should think of laws to help others? Reading this is almost comical! What’s next? I truly feel this is like Nazi Germany with the Jews! It’s really no different! Marked Passports? Some states require marked licenses? I truly pray and hope that the new legislation in 2021 will change things. Cities like OC can’t deny everyone! The requirements aren’t as stringent then a COR! I can only hope and pray new legislation will make the process even easier! Best of luck and God Bless you Janice!
I sent him an email explaining how stupid this act is and how he should educate himself on statistics concerning who actually abuses children and re offense rates after incarceration release.
I guess common sense take a permanent vacation south of Mason- Dixon!
So, if they law does say the sheriff must inform the public, is there anything preventing the sign from being removed? How long must the sign stay in place? One night, a month a year? It sounds like this shierff hasn’t any idea.
Read this article today talking about the higher risk of children being struck by a car on Halloween. Too bad the government is only concerned with something that has never happened, rather than the one thing that always happens on Halloween.
https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/30/18041698/halloween-traffic-fatalities-deaths-car-accidents-deaths-children
Three kids killed today in a cross walk in my community, hit by a car (no details on the driver yet). Last year two kids killed crossing in a cross walk, hit by a drunk driver. Yet I don’t see any action by the city to “protect the kids.” Meanwhile we have another quiet Halloween as far as RSO’s go. Boss Hogg living up to the stereotype of the bigoted redneck Georgia sheriff.
Any registrants who are victimized tonight should sue.
It’ll also be interesting to document how many children get injured tonight by non-registrants, as the biggest threat to kids on Halloween are auto accidents.
I dont understand why it’s ok to put children or other family at risk who may reside with a parent who is an RSO.
When you do: You are communicating that it is ok to bully, ostracize , isolate them too.
If anyone thinks that children or family of RSO’s dont read comments on news stories, FB posts etc. Or dont listen to rumors of said family RSO… I have news for you, they do!!!
It’s the definition of hypocrisy. All children matter, except those who reside or are related to an RSO! Sad…
On KFI radio, Bill Handel just had a conversation with reporter Steve Gregory about “Operation Boo,” in which state parole visits homes of registrants on parole to be sure they’re abiding by their terms on Halloween. Several times during their discussion it was stated that ALL registered sex offenders may not decorate their homes or hand out candy, and that if any registrant hands out candy or lights their home, they will be immediately arrested. Gregory specifically stated (incorrectly) that these restrictions apply to ALL registrants, not just those on parole.
Follow up on email I sent to sheriff.
He sent back this reply.
” I love people who hide behind fake emails( mine had my full name/ not fake) . Don’t worry about what we do here in the south”.
I responded by saying that I worry about all citizens of this country that are treated unjustly.
I questioned how a man who doesn’t care about justice coukd be elected and suggested that in order to get the needed votes he must have had a rather large bar tab!
Incredible. My local news here in New England ran “teasers” for this idiocy each time they went to break. Then they finally did the story. What immediately followed the story was a local story regarding a minor who had been give candy laced with Methamphetamine. But that wasn’t the “teased” story. It was that idiotic sign, not the fact that a kid had been hospitalized and nearly died from ingesting tainted candy from a weekend neighborhood thing. Truly idiotic and dumb, but I guess around this time of year, sensationalism and lies rule the day regarding Halloween. But let’s not put out a warning regarding tainted candy, oh hell no. That might piss off the local “dealers”. Just a thought 🙂
Answering: “concerned about the safety of the kids. What about the kids of the Registrants? ”
Or how about the safety of registrants? That’s why lady justice has a blindfold on. Justice is not supposed to look at people and make a judgement call the value of one person over another. A great example would be that if a richa and poor person come before the court, the judgement isn’t supposed to favor the poor person even though we all have a soft spot for the poor and downtrodden, and we’ve been told a narrative about rich people, and how they’re evil and make thier money off the backs of the poor. If the law shows that the rich person should win the case, then the rich person should win the case. Lady Justice is blind, and human biases are not to enter into judgements.
I posted the comment below at the sheriff’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ButtsCountySheriff/posts/1900376396683224:
This kind of nonsense is just so stupid that it would be funny if it weren’t so heinously un-American. It could possibly, maybe, conceivably, be acceptable to real Americans if this was done to ALL people who have ever been convicted of ANY serious crime AND probably also if it were only done to people who were on probation or parole. Outside of that, no real American can even think about supporting this.
What this criminal regime should be doing instead of this nonsense is telling all people that they should be supervising their children. THAT is what they should be doing. And THAT is the ONLY way to actually protect anyone from whatever this criminal regime fantasizes might happen. It is irresponsible to do anything else.
A number of news articles have quoted the sheriff as saying that Georgia law places Halloween “restrictions” (a.k.a. harassment) onto people who on listed on $EX Offender Registries ($ORs). That is false. So is he really that misinformed? Or is he intentionally lying?
The VAST majority of people who are listed on the $ORs are not on probation or parole. On Halloween, those people in Georgia should all leave their homes and go where ever they like, completely anonymously if they choose. It is trivial to do. That is the proper, moral, American response to these stupid, worse-than-merely-worthless, grandstanding PR stunts.
I hope there’s a lawsuit coming his way!
Email this to the Sheriff (which I did post on the MO thread here in a reply to @Eric specifically too) for him to consider as he plants signs:
AP article which addresses kids killed on Halloween related to traffic:
Halloween can be deadly for pedestrians, traffic study says
https://www.apnews.com/7e009555b3e84da58576a2f6195c61d8
Summary:
-43% higher death risk on October 31
-608 deaths on 42 Halloweens
-55 deaths of kids 4-8 yrs old
-NHTSA Data
-CDC has similar data in their study (’75-’96)
-Alcohol is a factor
-Canadian study of USA data
Study is in JAMA Pediatrics with more info and data,
Pedestrian Fatalities Associated With Halloween in the United States,
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2711459
@will allen
The sheriff more than likely is Intentionally Lying in order to support the idiocy. But, who is going to call him on that? It’s all part of the morass of idiocy. But it plays into the flawness as so many of his “Sheriff” BS does. Cheers.
The registrant should place his own sign that says:
“This resident is less likely to commit a sex crime than a teacher or faculty member at ((insert local school name here)). SOURCE: U.S. Department of Justice”