Martin County Sheriff: to ask county leaders to require sex offenders to live farther from schools, parks, day cares
Martin County commissioners Tuesday will consider expanding the distance registered sex offenders in the county have to live from playgrounds, schools and day care centers.
Current registered sex offenders living in the county would be grandfathered into the new rule, if it is approved.
Sheriff William Snyder is asking the county to change the requirement from 1,000 feet to 2,500 feet away.
It’s an idea that resonates well with many parents, but there are others who feel the expanded living restrictions could do some harm.
https://www.wpbf.com/amp/article/martin-county-commissioners-pass-ordinance-expand-sex-offender-residential-restrictions/40221212
I seriously doubt a study was done to see with the new 2,500 foot rule how much of the county will now be off limits to live in. Modern day Jim Crow laws.
“The ordinance, modeled after one passed in Miami-Dade County, increases that distance to 2,500 feet.”
Ugh. They picked the worst example possible. Well I sincerely hope they end up with the same problems Miami-Dade has had with their ordinance as well.
We haven’t even bothered to sue Miami-Dade, where the evidence against 2,500’ SORRs is most clear-cut.
Or we have, but there was never a ruling on the merits.
2,500’ SORRs WERE successfully challenged ‘as applied’ in Nassau County, but I don’t know whether we’re doing anything with that.
Since you mentioned Nassau County. I thought I would Google a little more about it. It looks like the only thing that was done to “help” registrants was allow people who committed their offense prior to the ordinance to not fall under the rules of the ordinance. That particular ordinance is so burdensome I can’t imagine any newly required registrant being able to live in that county. The case that challenged the ordinance even says registrants can only legally reside in 1% of the county. So there is no relief for those with a new requirement to register in that county. Am I understanding this correctly? Or is there something I am missing?
Well, at least there is that. Other counties have applied their 2500 ft rule “ex post facto” even though the state has acknowledge that they can’t even apply the post sanctions 1000 foot restrictions to persons convicted before the new law was passed circa 2005. That is because those folks had the 1000 ft rule imposed as a SPECIAL CONDITION OF PROBATION which, of course is punishment. Funny how the counties and cities seem to be able to violate the law.
What do you see wrong with this picture??
“The reason we’re doing that is because we’ve interviewed predators and offenders coming in to register, which they’re required to by law, and they’ve told us unequivocally they’re here in Martin County because it’s easier to find a place to live,” Snyder said.
He feels it is one way to keep children safe in Martin County.
Basically folks that require to register has move to a place where they can actually work and live and prosper and not be homeless, and the sheriff assume he feels need to keep children safe?
People are telling you where they come from they will be homeless and see in your county where they are paying taxes that they can have at least a home and you basically want them out of your county. Now is that legal for the government openly says .. I dont want any of this folks in MY County and that is why im changing the law? can we sue the county because this type of policy? When we start suing all the cities and counties they will pay attention, we need to be able to bring more money to the cause !!
Johandy
We can sue God Himself if we want. But where is the money going to come from? Lawsuits can cost upwards of $100,000 give or take. And if we lost? All that money down the drain. We are focused on winning cases involving getting removed from the registry so we can once again become productive citizens who do not have to look over their shoulder, every time they leave the house.
PS: If we sued and won, they could simply turn around and refile and make the distance 2600 feet and it would all start all over again
Love and peace my friend
Another LEO who is a fool for false information…’feel good’ legislation.
Capt….
Once again, where is the empirical data? There is none!
‘Feel Good’ stuff with Zero Empirical Basis!
“…. asking the county to change the requirement from 1,000 feet to 2,500 feet away.”
Why?? Has there been an actual problem??
(No, of course not. What was I possibly thinking! 🙄😒)
Maybe someone should attend the meeting and ask the good sheriff to explain on the record the number of sexual assaults committed by registrants who reside between 1001 an 2500 feet of parks, schools, and day care centers over the past two or three years to make this requirement necessary.
Absolutely!! Make him cite actual occurrence/arrests!
And someone should check the local “crime mapping” to see if and when recent sexual assaults actually HAVE occurred in the past few years and by whom they were committed…. teachers, coaches, stepparent, uncle’s.. .all people NOT on any Registry.
That would be a wonderful idea if the commission meeting hadn’t already taken place and the ordinance already voted on this morning. All commissioners voted in favor and one said he was thrilled to vote in favor of the extended living restrictions while another suggested the commission add to their state legislation agenda to request the state have a more unified living restriction distance in all counties. In other words, they want to address with state lawmakers ensuring all counties have the same 2,500 foot restriction. I just watched the part of the commission recording at the 2:14:52 point the topic begins: https://martin.granicus.com/player/clip/4875?view_id=2&redirect=true
Legally cannot be applied retro-actively. 2500 feet is almost 1/2 a mile. 5280 feet in a mile. Unless you live in a rural county where you have to drive 1/2 an hour to the first traffic light, things are going to be tough.
Each year, session or meeting someone comes up with a brilliant new idea, law, ordinance. They have forced people into homelessness, then law enforcement tears down all the homeless camps and tells the residence to move on or be arrested.
They say being homeless is not a crime. Well I beg to differ, it is a crime against humanity and a crying shame. The “Not in my neighborhood” ideology just pushes people somewhere else where they face the same push back from the next neighborhood or community.
Dustin
We have to live 2500 feet from a school but when a young school shooter was taking out kids recently, the police refused to enter and stop the shooter. They were too busy enforcing registry laws I suppose.
My point is, how many registered on the sex offense registry has actually re-offended compared to other types of crimes that can be done over, and over and over without fear of being registered?
How many will be homeless now? With his public announcement he made it loud and clear that this will ease the minds of parents because their children will be in less danger. Only seems fair that he announce loud and clear the statistics on registrants in that county. He didnt make accusations only implications, so there is no legal route I dont think to keep this from happening. I wish there was someone who could work on this. So unfair.