ACSOL: GA: Palmer Sheriff Puts ‘No Trick-Or-Treat’ Signs in Yards of Sex Offenders
[1065.iheart.com – 10/17/19]
A Sheriff in Georgia is not messing around when it comes to Halloween. He put up “No Trick-Or-Treat at This Address” signs in the yards of sex offenders in order to keep children out of harms way.
“I’m not trying to humiliate ’em or anything like that. Let’s face reality: We have a greater chance of children getting run over by a car [on Halloween] than being a victim of sexual assault by a repeat offender,” says Sheriff Gary Long. “But at the end of the day if, in fact, we had a child that fell victim to a sexual assault, especially by a convicted sex offender, I don’t think I could sleep at night.”
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Finally! I was able to post my comments on this story. Oncefallen.com, I saw your comments at the end of the article and that prompted me to keep going until I finally figured out how to do it.
Well, here in Duval aka Jacksonville Floriduh, the sheriff doesn’t have to put signs in our yards. We do it for them because we are compelled to, thus letting the world know a “sex offender” lives here.
https://library.municode.com/fl/jacksonville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITXIXPUSA_CH685SEOFSEPRRE_S685.104PRACSEOFSEPREX
“(a) 3. (ii) From 6:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., on October 31 (or any other day on which Halloween is celebrated) post a sign at his or her residence, including a vessel, or vehicle, stating, “No candy or treats here.” Such signs shall be in letters at least two inches high and shall be legible on the property leased, rented, owned or occupied by the Sexual Offender or Sexual Predator, and clearly visible from the street, waterway, or any property that is open to public access. The signs may be removed after 11:59 p.m. on October 31, or the day on which Halloween is celebrated.”
Oh, and anytime someone starts a sentence with “I’m not trying to…,” oh hell yes they are!
Happy Helloween!
I have seen non offenders hang signs like that before. As long as it doesn’t have to say Sex offender on the sign, it could just mean you are a grumpy old man. ” No candy here” just means that. Anyone who already knows about you isn’t going to bring their kids to your house anyway.
Not saying that sign is right either but way better than the one the Sheriff in the article is posting. Similar to the numbers on my drivers license. I do not like it but way better than the others who have to have “Predator” on theirs in bold letters with flashing lights
True to an extent, but what grumpy old man would put the sign up at 6:00 A.M.?
Also, the local media shares the ordinance so every viewer knows the timetable and the exact size and verbiage of the sign.
This Grumpy old man doesn’t get out of bed until 9am most days. It gets harder and harder to get out of bed for two reasons. One because my body aches and two, because I dread another day on the registry and wonder what new crap they have come up with to make our lives miserable.
I guess I must be the exception. I get out of bed about 4:30 or 5:00 in the morning looking forward to the day. I start out with a cup of coffee and my morning devotions…I made these part of my life back in late 1999. I have so many projects going on that I find that the day is not long enough. I can thank God for the positive attitude He has given me for I have come to know just how blessed that I am. I cannot imagine waking up and dreading the day ahead of me. I even had this attitude years ago when I was serving my ‘debt repayment’. It was a poor outlook that got me in trouble to begin with.
I am a VERY strong Christian and have faced death in the face many times. I am not afraid to die at all, but sometimes am afraid to live. ( NO not saying I am suicidal ).
I am not at all blaming God for my circumstance, I am blaming law makers and judges and even my lawyer for not following the law. I did in fact do some thing to deserve a sentence but instead of going to trial, on the advice of my lawyer because I was run out of money, I was never offered a free trial with a public defender and told to plead guilty to everything, even what I didn’t do and throw myself on the mercy of the court. Instead the judge chewed me out in front of my Mother and sentenced me to life in Prison. My lawyer passed out and was taken by ambulance to a hospital.
I fought and fought and fought for a re-sentencing but was denied at every turn. Finally I was able to get a hearing before another judge and got the rest of my sentence thrown out. I did 4 years out of a life sentence.
I thought that was the end of it and I deserved the 4 years I spent. That was in the early 90s. THEN they came out with a NEW life sentence for all of us. I have not so much spit on a sidewalk and yet every time I go and register I see them take someone in the back room in handcuffs because they didn’t register a neighbors car that was 1 inch into their yard so considered HIS car ( Yeah exaggerating a small bit ) but you get the point.
When I say I hate waking up, it is not for me. MY parents and my family all go through this as well. I try and not discuss any of this with my Mother because it gets her so upset. It is not just US but our families suffering as well. I do not blame God, I blame law makers for allowing an “After the fact ” so called civil restriction that every judge from border to border is either afraid to tackle or lets their personal feelings get in the way of giving us not relief we deserve but relief that is a legal Fact.
Myself and many others on the lists are either sick, or elderly and some of us both and may never see a free day because of these list in our life times. The Expo facto suit is all great and all but a panel of judges can decide to not even year it or say it is in fact civil and not punishment. Hard to live your life when you are not even allowed to attend a trip to Disney with your grandkids.
Ok I am done.
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Well where I live, I can participate in Halloween, dress up, dance in my yard and hand out candy.
However, I do not participate so there is ZERO chance for a false claim. Plus I am broke so buying candy is not on my list of top 1000 things to do.
I always get bummed out on all these rules but after seeing so many other places making your lives miserable, I guess I should be thankful. Problem is, so many have found out that it is easier where I register that now we have one of the highest offender rates in the state and people are starting to make complaints so only a matter of time when another sheriff gets elected that we become his or her, goal in life.
” We have a greater chance of children getting run over by a car [on Halloween] than being a victim of sexual assault by a repeat offender,” says Sheriff Gary Long. “
You have a better chance of getting hit by lightning twice in the same spot than being a victim of sexual assault by a repeat offender on Halloween. If it happens, he won’t be able to sleep at night. lol Drama much ?? Take a Xanax Sheriff!
The last line, “Butts County Sheriff Gary Long”, is the only reason the sign is being placed. It is purely political in nature and is nothing more than a re-election sign for Mr. Long. He wants to show the public he cares and what better way to do that than protect uninformed people from a harm that does not exist.
Exactly right. These criminal sheriffs NEVER need to put their names on billboards and such but they do it all the time. Nearly every one of them is the biggest douche bag you could ever imagine. Just really pathetic excuses of humans.
These sheriffs are constantly campaigning for election and trying to take money by any means available. These jobs need to be eliminated and just folded into regular law enforcement. All corrupt.
I admit I would make an angry Sheriff too if my resume’ said I was the Sheriff of a county named BUTTS.
Sounds like he bases law on his person opinion and desires rather than actual law. Makes these offenders should file a complaint with Internal Affairs and a Civil Rights suit against the Sheriff in his official and personal capacity, and the Sheriff’s Department, especially seeing how the State Legislature has not enacted a Halloween Law, and were the Sheriff represents the Executive Branch of government, not the Legislative, and has no authority to enact legislation!!!
I read this statue that allows the Ass of Butts County, Georgia to place these signs. I didn’t see anything that said the resident couldn’t immediately remove said sign (and possibly return it to its owner (the sheriff’s yard)).