Brevard Ordinance Prevents Registrants from Attending Public Meeting

Yesterday, in the city of Melbourne, Brevard County, there was a Police Community Relations Meeting.

The panel for the meeting was comprised of:

• Circuit Judge – Judge John D. Galluzzo
• State Attorney Phil Archer
• Public Defender Blaise Trettis
• Brevard County Sheriff Office – Major Vic DeSantis
• Palm Bay Police Department – Deputy Chief James Rogers
• Melbourne Police Department – Chief Steve Mimbs
• Department of Corrections – Circuit Administrator Rachel Richardson

Several of our members, who are registered citizens, wanted to attend the meeting to discuss exclusion zones but were not able to because the site of the meeting was the Grant Street Community Center, which happened to be located within 1000 feet of a school, park, playground, day care, etc.

Even though the meeting took place between 7PM and 9PM, when schools and day cares are closed and children are home, not in parks or playgrounds, it didn’t matter.

Registrants interested in attending called but were told they could not attend without violating the ordinance. FAC called and spoke with the Sheriff’s office and was told the same.

FAC also sent a letter to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Sexual Offender Registration & Tracking Unit, with copy to the Sheriff, City Manager and Melbourne Police Department Sex Offender Tracking Unit, asking for permission for our registered citizen members to attend the meeting, but didn’t hear back.

At the end of the day, the City of Melbourne held a public meeting of interest to registrants at a location that is inaccessible to them.