Source: aldailynews.com 8/29/24
Convicted sex offenders could not be first responders under legislation pre-filed in the Alabama Legislature.
State law already prohibits sex offenders from working in schools, child care centers or other businesses that cater primarily to children.
Rep. Kerry Underwood, R-Tuscumbia, said the law needs to be amended to cover first responders, including those at volunteer fire departments.
“Without (this legislation) for that particular offender, we are basically opening the door and saying, you’re a first responder, if there’s a medical need, you can go into this day care, you can go into this facility,” Underwood said. “We want to make sure we don’t give them an opportunity to do that.”
House Bill 27 defines a first responder as a “paramedic, firefighter, rescue squad member, emergency medical technician, or other individual who, in the course of his or her professional duties, responds to fire, medical, hazardous material, or other similar emergencies, whether compensated or not.”
Violation of the law would be a Class C felony, but the legislation does not hold employers liable for hiring offenders.
The Alabama Association of Volunteer Fire Departments wants the bill to become law.
Just another ‘so-called solution’ looking to create a problem.
Yes, because when I run into a burning building to save someone, the first thing I think of is sexually assaulting someone. Get the **** outta here!
This is Alabama after all, therefore it should be no surprise that something like this would come out of there. It’s a shame that beautiful state is being maligned like this with idiot legislators.
Alabama damn sure will hold the employer responsible for unregistered pfr workers
I’m sure we’d then get a new article about how there’s a shortage for these positions. Cutting off the nose to spite their face.
Another bad pfr-related piece of legislation. But good for the chief who defended the registrant volunteer firefighter.
“I’ve got nothing to hide,” Lindblom said. He said he’s been told by the county sheriff and a parole officer that the person is allowed to volunteer within the department.
“He don’t go on no calls by himself,” Lindblom said. “He don’t go on no medical calls, just wrecks and structure fires, grassy wood fires.”
“… I’m within the law.”
He said he’s aware of other firemen elsewhere currently getting away with sexual harassment “and sending pictures to young kids.”
“Nothing’s happening to them,” he said. “They’re out here fighting fires and going on medical calls and everything else,” Lindblom said. “… There’s more than just one who’s done his time and is minding his P’s and Q’s. You better worry about the ones who are doing it now and getting away with it.”
I guess they don’t want them to be good Samaritans either.
At lest Alabama is trying pass some type of Bill because in California people forced to register can’t work in any type of medical field let alone as a first responder or fire fighter, You can’t even work as a security guard. California didn’t even need to pass a Bill to keep certain people from working these type of Jobs.
We all know why, It’s the whole person of trust thing people in the community see first responders as people of trust like police officers.
Alternative legislation could simply create an exemption from the prohibition on entering certain places for first responders performing their duties. Of course that would make too much sense and would allow PFR to contribute to society in one of the most meaningful ways. We all know the recidivism numbers and where sexual dangers actually reside. Rather than having the courage to speak the truth it seems Alabama legislators and firefighters are, like most people, reluctant to turn the mirror on themselves. It is always easier to blame “the other.”
“… We can’t give them that an opportunity…” same absurd idiocy used for Halloween! The idea that the very moment there is a child in the vicinity… GO! What Fantasy World do these clowns live in? There are kids everywhere! If a person wanted something so badly that they are willing to just “Go” the second there is an “opportunity”…
There are definitely First Responders that use their job to gain access and trust… they’re called Cops, and none of them are PFRs… at least not yet. In the Panicky Idiocy Fantasy World these clowns live in, ONLY people that have a conviction would EVER try to use a First Responder job to gain access and trust. ONLY people who’s past would put them at a much higher level of scrutiny (suspicion?) would EVER…
No way a PFR Firefighter or Paramedic gets away with ANYTHING… the moment there is any indication that an “event” has taken place, all eyes fall on the PFR. How stupid is this PFR to put themselves in a position where they are always going to be the Prime Suspect whenever anything happens? In a position where someone might lie about an “event” taking place just to get rid of the PFR… extort the PFR…shift suspicion to the PFR for something they have done? If this PFR wants to continue creating “events”… this would be beyond stupid, it would be straight up insane!
Meanwhile, Officer Handsy breezes through through the School Yard he’s “just checking” completely above suspicion, being instantly granted trust (and access?) by most, wielding tremendous State-Granted authority and as much Self-Granted authority as he feels like he can get away with… with absolutely no moment to moment oversight, and very little after the fact either.
Ha ha ha ha ha! The brain trust of AL in action. There are a lot of brilliant gems in the article. Personally, I find this one the most funny – “Underwood sponsored the same bill this year and it was approved by the House and a Senate committee, but died without a final vote when the session ended amid an attempt to pass a massive gambling bill.”
At least AL has their priorities straight. It is more important to take care of $$$$$$$ than it is to protect children. I guess it just isn’t very important to have this as a new “law”. Or perhaps this bill is just virtue signaling and pandering to truly stupid, anti-American a**holes.
Anyway, I can kind of get wanting to participate in society and help people. Kind of. In my former life, when I was stupid and naive, I used to volunteer, donate, and help all the time. But the Registries killed all that for me. Today, there is 0% chance I will ever do that because I’m not going to be doing a single thing that might help a Registry A**hole/Supporter/Terrorist. Further, the criminal regime where I live has a “law” that says if I volunteer somewhere that I must tell them about it. That isn’t ever going to happen. Not once. So the whole thing is just one giant “NO.”
If I ever have the misfortune of being in AL I will be hyper aware that I don’t need to be worrying about what is happening to other people. If I see something, I definitely should not say something. I should ignore it. I definitely should not help anyone.
Go Registries!
If they expect me to save some child’s life down in Alabama, baby, they can count Jackson out. And I dare them hicks to sue me or try and puts me in jail. Cause all I have to do is cite this law. Yah don’t want me around children anyways. You got it!🙏
But you can be a drunk , domestic abuser or substance abuser and be a cop, EMT, state police, etc. Alabama will even hire cops and firefighters that have been kicked off other state’s departments for illegal practices.
They just don’t want anyone forced to register to appear “heroic” because that would open the door for the media to humanize us after saving a life. Yeah, can’t let that happen.
What next? A law preventing us from rescuing a cat in a tree?
So first responders on the registry are at the station, lying in bed with their legs crossed and hands behind their head, thinking of ways to violate the next child coming thru on an elementary school tour of the firehouse. Bama politicians have a low view of their firefighters