Member Submission: Signing a paper at address verification
I have a new officer that comes by and provides a copy of the FDLE printout of our registry information. He states: Review this, make sure that it is accurate, sign and date it!” I informed him that I register through JREC quarterly as required by law. This continued,. I told him that no law compelled my compliance. Once he states it was to update hus information, I informed him of the “48 hour rule”. The he states it is to verify that he saw me. Cops are trained vti lie to you and the lies keep changing. I filed an IA Complaint, spoke with an Investigator, who agreed with me, hus letter to me was a coverup. Last month the cop asked me if I wished to sign stating that it is optional, although he only stated that to me and not all registered Person’s and I was told would be done. He the had the audacity to ask me if anything has changed, to which I replied :”That would be a registry question.” I live in Duval County, FL. The officer in question is: Detective Anderson, Badge #: 7870 and Investigating officer was: Sergeant J L. Baxley, Badge #: 7740. Persons required to register in Duval County are not required to review, sign, date anything or answer any registry questions during residency verification!
In my county, at address verification they often ask, “any changes?”
The proper response, in my view, is always “no.” More expedient, I think, than a defensive response such as, “I timely disclose all changes at registration.”
I agree, and the fact that they ask if there are any changes, IMO that is so ambiguous that it could mean anything, therefore any response couldn’t be legally binding as you could mean precisely what you saying, but not necessarily in the same manner that they may be implying.
Home Verification is just that, to verify that you reside at the address provided. Ask them to cute the law, rule ir statute that compels your compliance. I would the get their name and badge numbers a file an Internal Affairs Complaint. It worked for me.
Well at least you do not get a large yellow Flyer posted to your front if you are not home. It is Bright Yellow and says SEX OFFENDER with a sheriff’s badge in the center. I thought that was ruled against under compelled speech, but I guess law enforcement does what they want, not what they should.
I said I am not required to be home at certain times unless I am on probation. Furthermore, my life should not have to revolve around waiting for you to randomly come by. I have asked them to call me, even on a blocked # to see if I am home or find a time I can be home. NOPE, not good enough, says it has to be random to prove I live there? Really just because you find me there at any time still does not prove I live there.
Many of them seem to “Get off” on harassing us and as former law enforcement myself, I do believe some of these officers were bullied as kids and now get off on having power over others. Maybe instead they should sign up for the WWE and take their aggressions out that way. It is like a rabid dog going after a kitten.
Not comparing ourselves to anyone but as an example, In the case of George Floyd, people were filming the police and there was hard evidence of what the police get away with. When the officer comes to our house, he refuses to look at the camera. He always wants me to come out to the driveway. At first I refused but if I don’t he shouts real loud so all the neighbors can hear that he is there for my “SEX OFFENDER verification visit”.
Not sure how this is not probation like punishment. Name one single other person or group in the U.S that has to submit to this harassment that is not on probation, parole or house arrest? While the rest of the country gets more and more human and civil rights, ours are slowly……….no, speedily being taken away, one by one.
My local sheriff’s office comes by with a similar paper but they say that my (our) signature is to prove that you was present at the address and that the officer actually conducted the address verification. In my area I might not see an officer 6 months to a year or more. Im not complaining but apparently, at times this has become an issue where officers say they verified an address. When actually they never did and then someone absconded. In my case and in this small town most of the officers know me personally lol. Both from my run ins with law enforcement during my drug days but also from building a positive reputation with them and showing them how my life has improved since and that I’m not an actual threat to society. I can imagine that building a good reputation with law enforcement in larger city might not happen so easily.
This is but one of the excuses used on me. You have to keep in mind that you are not even required to be home when they show up, unless you are still in probation and it us during your curfew hours. If he tells you again that it is only to prove that you were there then tell him that that is apparently a cya issue for him and no law, rule or statute compells your compliance. I myself filed an Internal Affairs Complaint and won.
AS OF TODAY OUR RIGHTS OF PRIVACY HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY and reverted back to your state jurisdictions…..
CHECK YOUR STATE’S Rights REQUIREMENTS
ONE OF THE WORST DAYS IN AMERICA, as the now the Federal Government can swing the Puck, even further
Years ago, I was living in Sanilac County Michigan, and the sheriff department there was extremely rude. The female deputy told me I needed to bring in a utility bill with my name and address on it to prove I lived where I said I did. I told her my name and address is on my driver license, and that I was not required to prove anything to them. Two weeks later I got a phone call stating they had no record of me verifying, to which I responded “that’s strange, because I have a signed copy of the registration forms.” It seemed to make them back off, because I never heard from them again and eventually I moved to Oakland County. When I used to live in Waterford, within 2 or 3 days of me verifying, the local police would come to my home at 2 or 3 in the morning banging on my door to do their compliance checks, and they would continue to come for 3-5 days in a row. I filed a complaint for harassment, but it didn’t stop anything. When I moved out of that jurisdiction to where I am now, I have never had 1 compliance check, and I have been here for almost 7 years now.
I’ve always refused to cooperate with these compliance checks by telling the cops that I am not on parole or probation and therefore do not have to act like I am. I told them that is the only statement I will give before invoking my 5th amendment right.
Disgusted
Even when I was on probation, the probation officer never came to my door after 10 pm or before 7am (Depending on my work schedule). AND, believe it or not, if she had a hard time finding me home, she would call me on her cell phone and ask when I would be home.
I have heard here on FAC of some registerents having law enforcement peeking in their windows when they didn’t come to the door. Now who is the peeping Tom? Just shady and creepy.
Fortunately I live in a state that does not require address verification and has a “preemption clause” in its registry laws. This prevents law enforcement or any political subdivision of the state from enacting ordinances or policies pertaining to those on the registry.
Just yesterday two county deputies arrived at my property to perform an address verification. I told them this was unnecessary because it was not required by law. I did not even acknowledge my name. I wished them a good day and they left.
My reason for doing that was to stop them from exceeding their legal mandate. In 2019, a letter was sent to the sheriff from our local NARSOL affiliate advising him that extending the legislative mandate put him in violation of state law. Apparently he didn’t get the message.
Any opposition to law enforcement must be made with a firm knowledge of the law. In my state, that is much easier than in states that don’t have a preemption clause, where violating some obscure ordinance is a real possibility.
Ed
I know a guy who has been off the registry for some time now, and yet he still has local cops come by doing address checks. They tell him since he is in the city limits, they can do their own “Felon checks”.
Not going to name him not where he lives in Florida but this is insane. He spoke with a lawyer that stated there is nothing legally he could do as police can knock on any door they want. He advised him to just not answer the door when he sees them as he is under no obligation to do so. A crock of royal *hit if you ask me.
I would file an Internal Affairs Complaint if I were him. Make sure to include their names and badge numbers.
Key comment here was “new officer”. I’ve had several PO here in Duval and no one asked me to sign anything regarding stuff I need to update at JREC. That being said – I always let my PO when/what I’ve updated JREC.
Once again, we have a law that is ambiguous in terms of enforcement. Residency verification can take many forms and is open to interpretation. However, including a JREC function is not one of them. I’d be curious to hear what JREC’s view is on this.
Been told its mandatory by local city pd and i need to sign. If im not home they harass the wife and tell her i need to be there when they come or im
Violating the law. Never found which one im violating. Not been on paper for over 29 years. Federal in home state. Just probation (ended 25 years ago) and no public list until i came here 6 years ago. I timed out of my homestate registry.
Why do i need to be home? I travel
Monthly to my home state for les than 3 days at a time and am told i need to re register each time now. Leave the return date open ended and come in when i arrive back. Now just seems like they make it up as they go along.
JM
if you are not a ward of the State/Federal/Territorial/Indian Tribal Governments you need ever to sign anything…
never sign anything at anytime…even at registration times…just give them a call let them know you are alive as the local coroner has not signed your death certificate……appearing in person is false arrest……email them too…it is time and date stamped with geo location of your IP address…generally
let their IT department figure that out
Bon Appetite
never appear in person!
Trying to get off the list so dunno how i feel about that. I show up every month for my travel put of state but they keep changing the rules on coming back. I cant leave during my registration month because they say i need to fly back and register that month. Really cant figure any of this out
JM
Don’t worry my friend, the courts have ruled NONE of this is punishment so that should make you feel ton’s better about what you/we are going through. Also remember, judges are gods and can command you to do anything they rule and send you to the fiery pits of prison.
Also in many states, like here in Florida, we are blessed with being on the registry for life with nary a chance to ever be removed. Additionally, the suffering and inconvenience our families go through with us, is just a bonus.
We should be celebrating. We created 1000’s of extra law enforcement jobs. Of course, while those officers/deputies are wasting time checking on the billions of non-compliant registrants, 1000’s of crimes are not being investigated due to a shortage of qualified applicants. REALLY.
This would be all laughable if it was a movie, and yet, it is somehow real life. Is God making us do like Moses did and wander through the wilderness for 40 years? Some of us will be dead by then.
They are, as trained to do, lying to you. Ask the to cute the law, rule ir statute that compels your complance, to be home at all time in case they decide to show up and to verify, sign and date, or answer, and registry Questions. They will not respond except to come up with more lies. Get their name and badge numbers an file an Internal Affairs Complaint. It worked for me.
David
The deputy who checks on me “NOT” on probation, comes, if I am not home, he puts a sex offender flyer on our front door, even if another family member is there.
If he comes back again and I am not home, he goes to neighbors to ask if they had seen me. When he finally finds me home, he tells me “After 3 times of not being home, I will issue a warrant for your arrest for non-compliance”. WTF???????? Sounds like damn probation to me.
So im back to the question: can they do all this to me if im not around. And why do i have to fly back from where i am to florida for that second registration
JM
I no longer leave Florida because of the “unknowns” so in that instant, I have no useful information. But like you, my charges are from more than 3 decades ago. I am almost 60 and still putting up with crap from my late 20’s?
How should anyone pay for something over and over again when you have done your time. I mean HELL, why not just sentence us all to life in prison if that is their goal. Are they pissed that at the time we could not be given life so they are sentencing us to the next best thing? Lifetime registration.
Maybe every registered person in Florida should arrive at the state capitol and all of us can chain ourselves to the pillars and when we run out of room, we can handcuff ourselves to each other. Make a human chain. The last straw was when the deputy yelled at my Mom because she told the deputy I am not on probation so she doesn’t have to tell him when I will be home.
Ok so im ready to apply to get off this nightmare. I was released from registering in my home state two years ago (it was a federal) 26 years ago. Not sure what lawyer has had success on this if any but ive read here some have. Is there a group that does these?
JM
This is who everyone is telling me is really good and has gotten several off Florida Registry. But I heard he is mega expensive.
This is from FAC website list of attorneys
Ron M. Kleiner, ESQ
South Florida Attorney
In my county, the People’s Republic of Alachua County, when I do my quarterly registration (I am still on probation), they ask for a thumbprint and then the officer signs and dates it. I also am asked to sign an electronic version of my signature for their records. I then get a copy of it as “proof” that I was there. I keep it until the end of the month, just in case my p.o. has any questions as to whether or not I registered. Then it gets tossed. So far, I have not had to use it, but my attitude is better safe than sorry.
In addition, I have one roommate that is NOT on probation anymore. He has the sheriff’s office come by once a year to verify that he still lives here. This is in spite of Florida being a life-time registry state. However, the deputies are always polite and professional and the visit rarely lasts more than about five minutes.
It really chafes my butt when I read about “quasi-professionals,” who, are being paid salaries from my tax dollars—your tax dollars and acting like thugs or gang lords. And I can relate to you.
Here in Lee County, I’ve had several probation officers. Nine years of “professional supervision.”
I had one young guy, I say young because he was probably 20 years my younger–always tidy and nicely manicured–who would come in at 8:00 or 9:00 o’clock at night and want to do a house check. One evening he came over and I had a friend with me who was 29 years old. He asked my friend for identification because he needed to “verify” that he was “at least 18 years of age” because of my status as a sex offender.
The same probation officer told my employer that I could not be promoted to management. He smugly said to her that I was “not allowed to manage others.” She knew of my status as a Registrant and had previously gotten permission from corporate to promote me to “third key.”
“Who are you to tell him that he can’t better his life?” She challenged him.
He told her, “I’m the guy that’ll stand in front of your store and tell every one of your customers as they walk in that you’ve got a sex offender working in there.” I was fired three days later. Not by my boss, but by corporate attorneys.
Another special probation officer, I had, would come by at mid-evening, usually around dinner time. He’d enter my home and make himself comfortable on the couch and proceed to watch whatever was on TV. Or sometimes he would ask if I would change the channel to one of his favorite programs that he was missing.
I’ve had four different addresses over the last 10 years that I’ve been off probational supervision and on address verification only. I have to say, that all the officers that have come to my home for address verification have been very courteous and respectful to me, to my spouse, and even to our Shi Zu. They are in full uniform when they visit, but they drive up in an unmarked vehicle. They’ve never asked me for identification. Many times, as I walked up to the door, as soon as they’d see me, they would wave and walk away. I’ve even had a couple of drive-bys.
Scott
You said
“Another special probation officer, I had, would come by at mid-evening, usually around dinner time. He’d enter my home and make himself comfortable on the couch and proceed to watch whatever was on TV. Or sometimes he would ask if I would change the channel to one of his favorite programs that he was missing.”
That is downright disturbing, creepy and probably contrary to rules of engagement for a probation officer. Surprised they didn’t go into your kitchen and make themselves dinner.
Here you go…everyone’s federal tax dollars at work…
…seems like everyone is accounted for…..waste of monies….
https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/national/law-enforcement-agencies-conduct-compliance-checks-on-sex-offenders-registered-in-cascade-county/article_07bfc27e-a901-541e-849c-e774aa84aae8.html
btw..once again, Their Math is incorrect……they need to be schooled in Mathematics……
Semper Fi
They say there are 8 persons unaccounted for…but they do not say for what?…perhaps they left that jurisdiction that day…maybe in the hospital….maybe visiting their sick mother ..maybe traveling and shopping at Wal-mart……who knows
but 8 people is nothing….again, to create a fear!
Majority of Persons Forced to Register living their lives….but the Byrne Funds Rule everything