MEMBER SUBMISSION: Experience during an address verification
I wanted to bring your attention to something new that I encountered last night after I did my bi annual check in.
I received a call from a deputy sheriff who asked me to step outside. Knowing that I had just done all my normal check in I stepped out side and met him. He was in an undercover vehicle and he told me that he needed to confirm some information. He told me that the US Marshalls are making them do a yearly check in on top of the Address verification checks. He then told me that he needed to make sure that something called Offender Watch was correct as well. He went over the things on my check in form that I did earlier that day.
He brought up some old account that I had never heard about. He told me that they use some program that they put our information into and it pulls things that close match what we give to them. Then it assigns a percentage to that information of how close of a possibility it is being yours. He then took a new photo of me in front of my house. Then told me that he would be back later this week to take a day time photo of my house for this Offender Watch and the US Marshalls service.
I asked if this information was for law enforcement only or if these photos would be posted online for people to see as I am worried about Vigilantism. I made him aware of some of the threats and murders that the registered citizens have received just in this year alone. And he made it sound like he understood. I told him I had never even heard of those accounts or even the websites he was saying. One being Gavatar.com he told me he also had never heard about it and that him and his supervisor looked into it as well and they didn’t even know what it was and thought it was for gaming. I shrugged my shoulders and said wasn’t me.
He then left but it has me shaken up a bit. I know that I have to deal with this for awhile more and I hate that my family is having to deal with this along side of me. But I am really worried about this Offender watch and it seemed like the officer who came out was sympathetic on the cases and told me to call them if we ever receive any threats about vigilantism or harassment as they don’t put up with it no matter who you are. I told him I appreciated it but as long as I am on this hit list then I will always have to look over my shoulder.
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iservmytyme:
This is all illegal and they get away with it because registrants go along with it.
If you feel that it’s best to cooperate, read the law and give them the very minimum information the law requires and no more. This registrant was a fool to step out of his house and cooperate with the “police” without verification they are the police.
There are only two scenarios that make sense from the facts given. Either this was the police investigating this registrant for a crime or this was a vigilante seeking information. Most likely, it was really the police and this registrant will be sitting in jail regretting this conversation.
Detroit
It is also funny that, this sudden Offender Watch verification check came right after we all received an email survey asking us if we had ever violated any of the registry rules and not admitted it.
I am not a conspiracy person but it does seem they are trying to refill the prisons with ex sex-offenders all while releasing murderers, car jackers, drug king pins and other high profile offenders.
If we are all locked up, the state still gets money for the inmates, and you lose a lot of your freedoms like them looking through your stuff all the time. I lost gain time once because I had 4 pairs of socks when you were only suppose to be in possession of 3 at any one time. I can now put that on my Resume’ (Convicted Sock hoarder)
I’m always alert of my surroundings outside my house and on my street because of the possible dangers of any kind to a registrant and their families, but after this member submission article, now I’m on higher alert. It sounds a bit fishy. But I don’t know anymore. I hate all this crap.
To the person posting this
If you do not recognize the officer , the uniform, the badge, the patrol car, and you have concerns, request their name and let them know you are calling the sheriffs / local police department responsible for your address checks, to verify they are legit.
Any officer who is legit is going to allow this (Maybe an exception for some a-hole cop that gets off on riling people up).
Even in prison you have the right to remain silent. That doesn’t mean it will end well for you but at least you cannot incriminate yourself. And in prison, it is a high probability that the officer is real.
After reading this thread I am struck by the absolute necessity to know the laws in one’s particular state. For registrants in my state who aren’t on some sort of supervision, residence checks are not required by law. End of discussion. It seems that in Florida counties and municipalities can add to state requirements. FAC, is that true? What a minefield that must be for registrants!
Police quite frequently push beyond their authority. So it is self defense for citizens, particularly SOs, to know where those limits are before attempting any pushback. Power seekers absolutely hate it when the boundaries of that authority are pointed out to them, and will retaliate. Oh and for the life of me, I can’t figure why the U.S. Marshalls are involved in residence checks.
The offender watch website seems to be dedicated to perpetuating stereotypes about SOs. Their safety flyers stress stranger danger, and how to avoid registrants. There is unsurprisingly no mention of the 95% of molestations that involve family or friends. They are effectively creating a private SO registry. Being private, it does not have the same–albeit minimal–constitutional and privacy requirements that constrain government institutions. I would not give one iota of information to them.
Veritas.
Ed
What state is that?
My Charges here in Florida are from 1991 and have been off of paper since 2003. I still get compliance and address checks. Sometimes once a year and sometimes 4 times a year depending on how bored they are.
If you are on the registry here, you will get at least one check per year. When I lived in a small city, I got harassed out the @#%. I had the sheriffs office come by quite often but the city cops busted my chops sometimes 3 times a week. If I was not home, they plastered a banner on my door stating I needed to be home or else. As soon as I got off probation, I moved from that house and got out of the heck out of dodge. I am on my third move in 16 years now.
I tried to move to another state once but it seems a lot of the rules follow you where ever you go so I stayed where at least I knew what to expect. Many states, if you are on the registry for life in Florida, you have to be on theirs for life as well.
I live in New Mexico.
It was in North Florida. I am weary to say what county as this I am worried about being seen as a pot stirrer. I knew the officer as he is one in the Offender unit. I did not answer any questions other then what was on the paper. When he asked about those other accounts they were old and not direct communication accounts. I already have reached out to my lawyer who I send anything involving any irregularity to.
I have to register 2x a year then the sheriffs office comes out 2x to verify I live where I live. Like I said he told me that the Marshall’s office is requiring them to take photos of us in-front of our homes to prove to them we live there.
Gerald:
What city in Michigan do you live in that they do checks in?
My old neighbor, Hal Nemecheck, was one of the first one’s put on the registry in Michigan. He was on the registry in Battle Creek until he died. He said the police were always polite and professional and he was in and out in 5 minutes each time he reported. He says the police never came to his door. The police in Lincoln Park never came to Fred Farnsworth’s door. My neighbor has been on the registry since 2010 and the last I spoke to him, the police never came to his door.
The only person I am aware of that the police actually came to his door was one of the Detroit registrants that went on strike in 2008 and refused to register.
In Florida it’s mandated they do address verification.
The local Authorities changed the name to Compliance Check, right after the legislature bowed to a crying Crack Head Loser