A zoning ordinance that would allow farm stands at a day care center in Forest Park passed 4-1 Monday. Councilman Dabouze Antoine voted no, saying he was concerned a farm stand at the day care might attract pedophiles and human traffickers who would visit under the pretense of shopping for produce. Full Article
Read MoreTag: Georgia
GA: New bill would bar sex offenders from living near their victims
A new bill in the state Legislature would ban registered sex offenders in Georgia from living within 2,000 feet of their victims or their victims’ immediate family. Full Article
Read MoreGA: Group confronts Cobb County sheriff over ‘invented requirements’ imposed on sex offenders
[11alive.com – 1/29/20] ATLANTA — A sex offender rights group is accusing the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office of overstepping Georgia’s sex offender registration laws. In a letter sent this week to Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren, the North Carolina based National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (NARSOL) claims deputies are “imposing invented requirements not contained in Georgia law.” NARSOL Executive Director Brenda Jones, in the letter, writes the requirements the sheriff’s office is imposing are considered harassment. The letter includes four specific claims against the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office.…
Read MoreGA: Lawmakers seek sex predator tracking bill that’s constitutional
Georgia legislators aim to close a loophole that’s now preventing the state from using ankle monitors to track more than 400 sex offenders. Some House and Senate lawmakers are backing legislation that would give judges the ability to impose lifetime electronic monitoring as part of someone’s sentence if a sex offender is deemed to have a strong chance of reoffending. The proposals follow a Georgia Supreme Court ruling that it is unconstitutional for the state to require around-the-clock GPS tracking after the felony sex offender has completed their sentence. Full…
Read MoreGA: New Legislation Would Allow Lifelong GPS Monitoring of Sex Offenders
When the Georgia Supreme Court declared unconstitutional a law allowing convicted sex offenders to be ordered to wear GPS ankle monitors for the rest of their lives after release from prison, several justices offered a concurring opinion saying the Legislature could write a law requiring such monitoring that would pass constitutional muster. Full Article
Read MoreGA: Federal Judge Stops Halloween Signs
A federal district court judge today granted a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) that prohibits law enforcement in Butts County, Georgia from posting signs in the front yards of registrants’ homes on Halloween. In his ruling, the judge stated that requiring registrants to allow the signs to remain in their front yards violated their First Amendment rights. Also in his ruling, the judge explained that a state law that requires law enforcement to identify registrants “does not require or authorize sheriffs to post signs in front of sex offenders’ homes, nor…
Read MoreGA: Sheriff defends Halloween sex-offender-warning signs
[bpnews.net – 10/24/19] orgia sheriff was in federal district court Thursday (Oct. 24) defending his decision to post signs in front of sex offenders’ homes warning trick-or-treaters not to approach. Three sex offenders have filed suit against Butts County, Ga., sheriff Gary Long because he posted signs in front of 200 registered sex offenders’ homes in 2018 warning trick-or-treaters not to approach the properties. The plaintiffs are trying to prevent Long from posting the signs again in 2019 and beyond. “Stop. Warning. No Trick-Or-Treat At This Address!!” the signs read,…
Read MoreGA: Sex offenders sue Butts County Sheriff’s Office over ‘No Trick or Treat’ signs
When kids are out trick-or-treating, one of parents’ biggest worries is safety — but efforts by a Middle Georgia sheriff’s office to keep children safe are now at the center of a federal class action lawsuit. Full Article and Lawsuit Related GA: Palmer Sheriff Puts ‘No Trick-Or-Treat’ Signs in Yards of Sex Offenders
Read MoreGA: Palmer Sheriff Puts ‘No Trick-Or-Treat’ Signs in Yards of Sex Offenders
[1065.iheart.com – 10/17/19] A Sheriff in Georgia is not messing around when it comes to Halloween. He put up “No Trick-Or-Treat at This Address” signs in the yards of sex offenders in order to keep children out of harms way. “I’m not trying to humiliate ’em or anything like that. Let’s face reality: We have a greater chance of children getting run over by a car [on Halloween] than being a victim of sexual assault by a repeat offender,” says Sheriff Gary Long. “But at the end of the day…
Read MoreGA: NCSO to host 13th annual Halloween Shut-In for sex offenders
The Newton County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Community Supervision will host their 13th annual sex offender Halloween Shut-In from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31. Full Article
Read MoreJanice’s Journal: Georgia Law Punishes Registrants, Breaks Up Families
Registrants and their families are suffering in the State of Georgia. The cause of their greatest concern is a state law that prohibits anyone convicted of a sex offense that took place after July 1, 2008, from living, working or loitering within 1,000 feet of a long list of locations including schools, churches and any place “where children congregate”. As a result of this law, there are thousands of families in Georgia that are already homeless or could become homeless at a moment’s notice. One of those families includes a…
Read MoreGA: Tag reading cams going up at these schools to catch speeders, sex offenders
[wsbtv.com – 6/22/19] GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. – School’s out, but new safety measures are already planned for the upcoming school year. New tag reading cameras are going up at four schools in Gwinnett County to catch speeders and sex offenders in school zones. “I believe it’ll be a great idea because the safety of our children is what’s important,” said parent Lauren Walker-Robertson. Content Continues Below … Officials are also working to allow the cameras access to the statewide offender database. That way, the cameras can read tags and alert…
Read MoreGA: Georgia Court blocks lifelong GPS tracking of sex offenders
[thebrunswicknews.com – 3/4/19] Georgia’s highest court says it’s unconstitutional to require “sexually dangerous predators” to remain on electronic GPS monitoring after completing their sentences. The unanimous Georgia Supreme Court opinion published Monday says that violates the Fourth Amendment protection against “unreasonable searches and seizures.” Read more
Read MoreGA: City Council passes emergency ordinance banning homelessness
With an outcry from neighbors about recently released sex offenders living under a nearby bridge, the Ringgold City Council unanimously passed an emergency ordinance banning homelessness Monday night. Full Article Related COLUMN: Georgia City Wrong to Target Sex Offenders in New ‘Homelessness Ordinance”
Read MoreGA: Georgia sheriff’s office places ‘No Trick-or-Treat’ signs in sex offenders’ yards
[fox11online.com – 10/30/18] 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…
Read MoreGA: DCS honors two Rome officers for work on sex offender law
Two Floyd County Department of Community Supervision officers received commendations Tuesday for the efforts to clarify the importance of ongoing supervision of sex offenders across the state of Georgia. Brandon Henderson and Cody Franklin were honored in front of their peers for raising questions that led to an amendment of state law this year. SB 174 was passed in 2017, which called for anyone who was on supervision, including sex offenders, but did not have any restitution owed, to be placed on unsupervised status after two years. “A lot of…
Read MoreGA: All registered sex offenders will gather in Council Chambers on Halloween
[Updated] With Halloween right around the corner, Grovetown is rounding up registered sex offenders to make the night a little less frightening for parents and children out trick-or-treating. Full Article Jones for Mayor Facebook Page Related Media Washington Post Article 10/24 http://metrospirit.com/beware-sex-offenders-grovetown/ 10/24 https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/10/27/mayor-causes-stir-over-what-he-declared-will-happen-to-sex-offenders-on-halloween-night 10/27
Read MoreGA: Thomas County deputies keep ‘watchful eye’ on sex offenders
[walb.com – 10/4/18] THOMAS CO., GA (WALB) – Locating and registering sex offenders is a top priority for Georgia sheriff’s offices. The Thomas County Sheriff’s Office said they verify registered sex offenders multiple times throughout the year, as part of the “Operation Watchful Eye” initiative. Lt. Tim Watkins, Thomas County Sheriff’s Office chief investigator, said Halloween is one of those holidays that they make sure all registered sex offenders in the county are where they’re suppose to be. “They have to be inside their residence. They cannot have any decorations…
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