Video of Crestview City Council Members’ Discussion of Sex Offender Ordinance
On September 25, 2023, the Crestview City Council voted 3 to 1 in favor of a sex offender ordinance that will expand the residency restriction from the state’s 1000 feet to 1500 feet from schools, day care facilities, parks, playgrounds, SCHOOL BUS STOPS, and COMMUNITY CENTERS.
Councilman Bullard is to be commended for not supporting this ordinance because of some concerns he expressed at the meeting.
Another council member stated that 67% of people on the registry WILL sexually re-offend. This council member incorrectly quoted from a government study that came out in 2019. The study actually found that people with a past sex offense that was rape or sexual assault sexually re-offended at a rate of 7.7% over a 9-year period. Many people on the registry, such as those convicted of CP possession, were not included in the study. More will be coming about this study.
Florida Action Committee is appreciative of the registrant who had the courage to speak at this meeting.
You can view the video of the meeting at our YouTube channel.
The Honorable Council Members who voted for this should be gently corrected in public on this error. Also they should be told the date the results were collected and the parameters of the data. All too often statistics are thrown around without context or relevance.
Agreed.
1,000 is quickly becoming the rare case, now we see upwards of 1,500 2000 and 2,500 feet or like in Miami Beach which is almost impossible to comply with the law by design. At what point do we challenge the courts on a banishment grounds.
I agree, but the problem is the cost. The money FAC raises only goes toward expenses such as the cost of hiring expert witnesses and depositions and other expenses . We are not actually paying the attorneys. They only receive their fee if we win and the court decides the other side pays it. So it can be difficult to find an attorney to take a case when they know that they might not ever get paid. With that said, the attorneys that have taken cases for us are outstanding and are busy right now dealing with legal issues for us. We are hoping they are eventually reimbursed. They deserve it.
We have a lot of situations where we would like to file a lawsuit but have to wait until some other lawsuits are finished (and hopefully won). Then it takes an attorney who is willing to help us out.
How we all wish we had the money to pay attorneys what they deserve to take on all these lawsuits.
This new law could help us it allows up to $50,000 for the defendant who is able to show new ordinance https://casetext.com/statute/florida-statutes/title-vi-civil-practice-and-procedure/chapter-57-court-costs/section-57112-effective-1012023-attorney-fees-and-costs-and-damages-arbitrary-unreasonable-or-expressly-preempted-local-ordinances. I have yet to see how laws like this are allowed https://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/dunedin-woman-who-stalked-radio-djs-is-sentenced-must-leave-pinellas/1229509/?outputType=amp. Banishment is illegal theses laws amount to banishment. There has to be a lawyer who will work on contingency being paid thru this ordinance. At the end of the day the only thing they can say is no.
IF residency restrictions are the answer then it should be added:
No one convicted of DUI can reside within 1500 feet of a bar.
No one convicted of bank robbery or armed robbery can live within 1500 feet of a bank, ATM, or anywhere that cash or goods transfers occur.
No one convicted of breaking and entering can live within 1500 feet of a house or structure designed for business or human occupation.
No one convicted of selling narcotics can live 1500 feet within any residence, school, gas station, park, place of business, or anywhere humans are known to patron.
Even the State of Floriduh decided not to make the 1000 ft. residence restriction retroactive. It’s only effective for offense dates after September 2004. Maybe we should make sure these [moderated] town leaders are aware of this when they start getting bored and looking for new crap to pass.
Who is the person that proposed this? He needs to be given correct updated information to educate him.
They were all given the research but only Bullard seemed to care.
Again no one is answering the question if people are going to be removed from their homes? I cannot see the supreme court allowing people who are already established having to be dragged from their homes or forced to move.
Sorry but it would take 10 of their best men to take me down when it comes to my house. Any judge that would allow the retro-active application of people being removed from their homes should be ashamed and have their Jurist license revoked.
People affected by this new ordinance who own their home will receive an exemption. People renting will not. This could be a big problem for renters as school bus stops are sometimes moved around.
Well still not right, at least let them finish their lease. And I bet they lose their deposit too. Having said that, most apartments do not allow sex offenders anyway so maybe private homes that are rented out?
The word banishment comes to mind. Just take us all out to sea and drown us why don’t they.
Very good the registered citizen that spoke. Is obvious they do not have a reason to increate to 1500. This is just for political gain because they might be for reelection or they are stepping on the political ladder to go some other position and they need this to look good for them. If they can point out in their city how many people from the registry has committed a new sex offense after jail or prison in the last 3-5 years, then it can be a good reason to call for this.
I sent this email to the mayor.. any thoughts? is this good the way is was written. English is not my first language.
Dear Mayor,
I recently saw the meeting for the ordinance that will expand the residency restriction from the state’s 1000 feet to 1500 feet from schools, day care facilities, parks, playgrounds, SCHOOL BUS STOPS, and COMMUNITY CENTERS.
My question is simple and I think the public in general that did not see the meeting or know anything about this situation has the right to know. Can you point out in the Crestview city how many people from the registry has committed a new sex offense after jail or prison in the last 3-5 years?
Do you have an actual number? I think I heard you have 88 Registered sex offenders or predators. From those 88 how many has committed a new sex crime in the last 5 years after their first offense?
I want to believe you must have a compelling reason to increase the punitive restriction from 1000 to 1500 for this folks who already served their sentence and paid their debt to society. I dont think the Crestview city is in the business of creating more punitive laws without a very compelling and strong reason. We the people has the right to know why is this expansion necessary.
Waiting for your response.
Sincerely,
Bravo Miss Joy
Very well spoken for someone whose first language is not English. I would never had known if you had not said so. You were factual and not accusatory which is good. Even if it changes just one of their minds, it is a start.
That is an excellent question for the mayor to answer.
I have to see the legal language on this. Since it effects me and my family. I am trying to take things a day at a time, but it’s wearing thin. I never thought this kind of thing would happen here.
Sen. Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Davie:
“It’s not a matter of if they re-offend,” Book said. “It’s a matter of when they re-offend, and the reality is, we’re not doing anything in the penal system to handle … these types of offenders.”
[Moderator’s note: News reports indicate that this quote was in reference to bi-partisan bill HB 1297 concerning sexual battery of children under 12. This comment has been moderated to avoid the appearance of partisanship].
There is one heck of a difference between 67% and 7.7%. Someone needs to give these council members a second grade math lesson explaining the difference.. that is assuming it was a mistake. If it wasn’t a mistake then they could be liable for being sued. They need to be questioned and held accountable.
Archie
I never thought I would move but where I lived I was getting Local cops, Sheriff’s deputies, And FDLE agents showing up at my house all hours of the day and night. Hanging flyers, harassing me, coming in my house, and asking my neighbors questions.
I finally moved to another county and for the past 15 years I have been mostly left alone, except for the 5 minutes 4 times a year a deputy comes to see if I really live where I live, which I think off probation is unconstitutional, but that is a fight for another day.
I know it is not easy to up and move, but there are some places that basically leave you alone in Florida. Maybe F.A.C could do an anonymous poll on what county we live in and if it sucks or is not so bad.
[Moderator’s note: FAC would be reluctant to characterize any Florida county as “not so bad.” The best county for an individual varies according to individual circumstances and is subject to change].
Looks like the school districts need to add school bus stops to their website. I have seen one that does, but I have not looked at every district. How can I choose a place to live if I don’t know where the school bus stops are at? Or maybe the school districts do not want to publish that information so that sex offenders won’t know where to go to find children? Just venting, the “administrative policies” have gotten way out of hand in Florida. Why do we have a constitution if no part of the government has to follow it? Both state and federal.
@Craig
That brings up something kind of funny but sad at the same time.
The parents in my hood, because of me living there, they walk their kids to the bus stop and stand with them until the bus arrives. Fair enough.
Then when all the parents are at work, and the bus drops them back off after school, they all walk alone past my house with no parents. How ridiculous and petty.
I have a pretty good record for the 15 years I have lived here, no kidnapped kids but the Sheriff’s office won’t give me a certificate of appreciation for my accomplishments.
Yes there is sarcasm in the post.
@CherokeeJack,
I don’t have the money to just up and run away. I am not some super hero either, but no one here is going to stand up to them. I will if we are going to court. We do need to take this for action.
@Archie
In the meantime, I will keep you and your family in my prayers.
“Where two or more are gathered together in my name, I will be there also.”
Matthew 18:20
Has anyone looked into the United States vs Lovett case 328 U.S. 303 (1946) there is a three prong test to see if a law can be challenged on a bill of attainder.
Lovett Court said that a bill of attainder 1) specifically identified the people to be punished; 2) imposed punishment; and 3) did so without benefit of judicial trial.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/bill_of_attainder
Is not the continuous pushing of registered citizens further and further out of the community without a trial is that not a crime? At what point is it ok and not viewed as punishment if anyone listened to the oral arguments I posted earlier under the general comments in the Clements case the 11th gave the state a hypothetical question if the defendant was only allowed to live on 5 percent of the land would that person then be in custody? Well here we have that as factual evidence. With no other intention but to restrict future registered citizens from potentially living there or forcing those who do live there to being trapped since if they do move they would likely be forced out of the community as only a fraction of the town will now be eligible.