Member Submission: Lake City
How is it that sex offenders that have lived in a motel for over a year that have been approved by the registering detective have to move out because the detective left and a new one comes and takes over? It is not right for them to become homeless because one detective leaves and another replaced them. We live in Lake City Florida and I have been manager of a small motel trying desperately hard to give them a second chance with a place to call home only to be told they have to leave. They served their time, they have jobs and just need a place to stay where they have been for over a year and don’t bother anyone. Please help
If your tenants refuse to move, what legal recourse would the detective have, if any?
Obtain an arrest warrant on suspicion of ‘failing to obtain my personal approval’?
I mean, my next-door neighbor didn’t approve my residence, but that doesn’t mean I’m leaving.
What am I missing?
I am going to guess the new officer, is trying to enforce some ridiculous law that they cannot live with another felon, or to many reside within to close of proximity, or boundaries weren’t measured correctly, etc. Like another mentioned, I would hound every city, county, state, and Dept of corrections official I could!
Tereto
I do not live around any other registrants. When I talked to the Deputy about it, he says he likes when there are clusters close to each other, that way he doesn’t have to dive all over town chasing people down.
My point is, if a bunch lived in one hotel, it would be much easier to keep track of them instead of hitting brick walls. And wonder how many will now end up homeless.
I think we all need to resolve that they will not be homeless, come what may, and work and contribute whatever we need to in order to prevent that from occurring. Of course we need some details of what exactly is being expected of them.
I totally agree! It’s not right that a “sanctimonious” officer can come in a re-write the “rules” that’s been in place for quite some time. Here where I live in Tennessee my officer changed and the new one just left everything as the way the previous officer did. That is the way it should be. Yes, we’ve done our time and should be able to re-intergrate back into society but people, like that officer of yours, tend make their “feelings” the determinig factor in creating or disbanding prior officer’s (or county) rules. Get a lawyer, see what can legally be done is what I’d suggest. I hope and pray it all works out for you and those you’re trying to give a second chance.
I would think some news outlets would be interested in hearing about this. I know you may not want the spotlight on your residents, but you may find it to be your hail Mary. The previous official who approved the residence and the new official and supervisors need to do some explaining to the residents and the public. When the general citizens begin to see homeless “sex offenders” in their wooded lots and lying in the sidewalk they will want to know why and refer back to these actions. Take it to the Sheriff, the County Commission, City Council, state representatives. They need to show the statute, the map, the measurement, and every bit of what this person is basing this decision on, and you need to have examples of how long people have been living there and show it all to these public officials and representatives. You have a right as a business owner to maintain your business.
Thank you for your determination to help these citizens lead a new, law-abiding life.
There is certainly more to this story, because residency restrictions are defined in statute. Nowhere does it say, I don’t believe, that detectives have any discretion over where registrants live. It could be that the new detective is interpreting the code slightly differently (e.g., perhaps the previous detective measured motel property line as 1,001’ from school property line, while new detective measures it at just 999’). Or perhaps it has something to do with probation or parole. Either way, the detective owes you an answer.
Regardless, be sure your county commissioner (or city councilman) is aware that losing these tenants not only would hurt your business but also would create homeless sex offenders that would be harder for law enforcement to track. THAT often gets their attention.
Who made this decision, the Sheriff’s Department? Do you have the County Board meeting schedule?