workshop item #18 for 6/12/06 agenda

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La Porte Police Department 915 South 81h Street La Porte. Texas 77571 281-471-3810 Fax: 281-470-1590 06/05/2006 To: From: Debra Feazelle Richard E. Reff Subject: Consideration Regarding Sex Offenders There are two issues that I feel that the City Council needs to be aware of and possibly be brought up in a workshop session. These issues are whether we will publish all registered sex offenders and the possibility of establishing an ordinance creating a 1,000 foot safety zone for children. First, the last legislative session made some changes in the law regarding sex offender registration. One of the issues that were changed was the requirement to post in a newspaper low and moderate risk sex offenders. The change still requires us to publish the high risk offender. I have asked Clark Askins to review this particular issue and he agrees that the requirement to publish low and moderate risk offenders no longer exists. In discussing this with other Chiefs I found that some have not been doing it and others are continuing to publish all sex offenders in their local newspapers. I did talk to the Department of Public Safety and they advise that the intent was to still publish low and moderate offenders but it was to give the option to the city and their community as to what they may want. According to them the major cities are still doing it. Although I agree with Clark Askins that it is not required and in fact completely deleted from the law, I feel that it should be brought to the Councils attention so they can determine what direction they wish to proceed. HB 867 made major changes to the Sex Offender Registration Program and is attached for your consideration. Debra Fae=e/le Cirv Manager Richard E. Reff Chief of Police Aaron Corrales Assistant Chief of Police