http://web.tampabay.com/blogs/baybuzz/hillsborough-commissioners-advance-proposal-to-push-sex-offenders-further/2265709
Hillsborough Commissioner Sandy Murman:
“These people technically cannot really be cured and they will, and I’ve witnessed, seen incidents, where these people just go out and find new victims,” Murman said. “We need to do everything we can to improve public safety at all cost.”
Apparently this commissioner is Ignorant of the facts and needs to do some research.
Hillsborough commissioners advance proposal to push sex offenders further away from schools and parks
Wednesday, February 17, 2016 11:11am
17
February
TAMPA -- Sex offenders in Hillsborough County would be barred from living within 2,500 feet of a school, park and the like under a measure commissioners advanced Wednesday.
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Florida law already prohibits most sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of places where children often congregate. Commissioners voted 7-0 to ask the county attorney’s office to draft language, modeled off a similar Pasco County ordinance, that would more than double that threshold for offenders whose victims were 16 or younger.
As the Tampa Bay Times recently reported, Pasco County’s ordinance faces a legal challenge. In that case, a 31-year-old who pleaded guilty to inappropriately touching a teenage girl says the ordinance leaves him with few places to live.
Commissioner Sandy Murman said if Pasco’s ordinance stands, sex offenders will move to Hillsborough unless commissioners act. Indeed, the plaintiff suing Pasco is residing in a Hillsborough motel.
“These people technically cannot really be cured and they will, and I’ve witnessed, seen incidents, where these people just go out and find new victims,” Murman said. “We need to do everything we can to improve public safety at all cost.”
Along with the state law, Hillsborough County also limits the number of sex offenders who can live in the same apartment complex and trailer park and restricts them from loitering within 300 feet of schools, child care facilities and other places where children play or spend their time.
Commissioner Ken Hagan said those rules were designed in concert with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Hagan said the Sheriff's Office told them when those ordinances were crafted that tougher penalties might push offenders underground, where they don’t register, are harder to track and can offend again.
The Sheriff’s Office said the current state law is satisfactory, the County Attorney’s office told commissioners. A representative for the Sheriff’s Office did not attend the meeting.
“If we’re going to make any changes, it’s premature to draft language,” Hagan said. “Let’s get the Sheriff’s Office here, let’s show the maps (that chart the areas where people can live if the ordinance is passed). It’s premature to go down that route until we have that.”
Murman, though, pressed to move forward.
“Quite frankly, I don’t want them living here in Hillsborough County at all,” she said. “We need to protect our children.”
Hagan ultimately voted to advance the measure. As did Commissioner Stacy White, who represents east Hillsborough and voiced concern that these restrictions could push offenders to his part of the county.
“I want to be sure that as this is crafted, that our rural areas don't end up being the dumping ground for sexual predators,” White said.
Commissioner Victor Crist offered an amendment that would have kept the perimeter for sexual offenders at 1,000 feet if they agreed to undergo chemical castration. But his proposal was met with crickets and did not receive the support of a second commissioner for it to get a vote.
[Last modified: Wednesday, February 17, 2016 11:11am]
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