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Boundaries proposed for sex offenders discarded

By LAURA LEBEAU
Published June 27, 2006

ZEPHYRHILLS - The debate over where sexual offenders can live ended Monday night after council members voted not to pursue the passage of the proposed ordinance that would require sex offenders to live at least 2,500 feet from schools, bus stops, churches, day care centers, public parks, public and private playgrounds and recreational open spaces and public libraries.

The current limit is 1,000 feet.

The council members heard from police Chief Russell Barnes and Detective George MacKnight of the Zephyrhills Police Department, who could not say for certain that increasing the 1,000-foot radius would have a beneficial impact on the number of sex offenses.

"Unless we have support from the Zephyrhills Police Department, I don't see how the ordinance would have any merit," said council member Kenneth Compton, who brought the issue forward last month.

MacKnight said that of the 27 sexual offenders currently living in the city, none have caused any subsequent problems.

Council member Luis Lopez asked MacKnight, "Are you happy and satisfied with the way we check our offenders in the city?"

"Yes, I am," MacKnight said. "To date, we've had no problems as of yet. With the amount of time we spend on this, it's pretty well in hand."

Barnes cited information from the Miami Police Department, which increased the radius to 1,500 feet. Although the department likes the program, it gave most credit to the monthly checks done by the police officers.

MacKnight said his department does face-to-face contacts every three months, with telephone checks in between.

Council member Celia Graham asked if moving the offenders farther away would be of benefit in protecting the community. MacKnight said that, in his opinion, he is better able to keep track of the offenders they know who are living within the city.

"They could be coming from anywhere. I know them pretty well, but it's the ones I don't know about who I'd be worried about," said Mac- Knight.

[Last modified June 27, 2006, 00:16:12]