Member Submission: What would you do?
I could really use some advice. I’ve been living in a high-crime, high-poverty neighborhood ever since I started registering, more than 20 years ago. Since my house is surrounded within a mile radius by a very large number of people required to register, I’ve expected to remain at peace regarding protesters. However, today, a little black boy, probably about 10 years old, surrounded by other younger children, knocked on my door. I didn’t answer until after a second knock and a few moments later. By then, the kid had made his way back out to my front yard. When I acknowledged him, he said to me “do you wanna suck my dick?”. I asked him what he said (I really couldn’t tell), and he repeated the question. This kid looks like a real bad boy, too. I went to get my camera so I could get a short video of him and to see whether he would repeat his question to me so that I could record. While I did, I heard something hit my car. When I got outside with my camera, he had already walked off of my property to the side of my house. I sat down on my porch, freaking out, in case he returned, since I didn’t want to escalate things. He didn’t return. Now, I’m debating whether to file a report with the police. If I don’t, I may regret it later, should the kid or someone else accuse me of anything illegal. If I do, I may attract unwanted police attention and may even look suspicious, like I’m trying to cover something up. I also expect that his parents, or even he, would retaliate, should law enforcement contact his household. I still don’t have any picture or video of him. This could be something that’s just a fluke and will not happen again. However, if I was targeted because he’s aware that I’m on the registry, I’m scared. While I’m not too worried about actually being successfully prosecuted for any crime, I am very nervous about possibly getting arrested or my house being vandalized, should the kid or his friends/parents target me as a registrant. I’m only one of the few white men in my neighborhood, and for some of my neighbors, that’s enough to dislike me. I think one of the other early-teen boys down the road may have ID’d me as a registrant several months ago, using his cell phone as he passed by my house. The kids in my hood can be generally aggressive, nasty and destructive. Any advice on what to do would really help me, thanks. It’s great to have a place like FAC to turn to when I’m scared like this.
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I do not answer my door for any kids. Period. I rarely answer it for adults, unless I know them or I am expecting someone. If you’re in Florida and not on probation, you have no obligation to answer the door, be home at a specific time, etc.
Better for you to file a police report before the kids’ parents do, with false accusations about you. When people are empowered by the government to harass and violate you, they will.
JZ
In my case, I did not open my door for a kid, I opened my door to the sound of things (rocks) hit our house, cars, windows, roof. When confronted they ran off but I watched to see what house they ran to. Otherwise the camera feed would be useless.
Where I live, the police will no longer respond unless you have a suspect. You have to make an online report which does nothing except give you a report for the insurance claim if needed. In my case since I knew what house they ran to, I had suspects. The only thing I yelled at them was, the police are on the way and they were.
We’ll I’m having a issue almost like yours but different I like technology so I went and bought me a dji fpv drone, I did all what is required for me to do. So this drone does about 70 mph. Well I was flying by my home just having fun. I stopped and put it up and went about my day. I went and got my dogs and took them for a walk well I was walking and this neighbor yells at me saying we all saw you video taping our kids with your drone, your a register sex offender and if I catch you doing it again I’m going to kill you and your dogs. Well I have a short fuse and I started to argue with this lady but no I didn’t I called 911 and reported it well I was a little shook up and the dispatcher asked me have I been drinking ( which I don’t) then asked me if I have been doing drugs (which I don’t) now I just got threatened by this neighbor which I saw there was 3 other people in the house now I get told to go home and await for the cops , ok they show up now two sheriffs officers approached me and I explain to them what had happened and they say that’s some serious accusations for someone to make about me so I’m thinking hey I have a s.d. Card inside the drone, so I openly go get my Mac and start to load the video that the drone has in its memory, while I’m doing this one of the sheriffs deputies try’s to grab my Mac and tries to take it. Now as I’m showing him freely that I had no footage of me video some kids when he tried to take my Mac I tell him sir this my property and I’ll show you. He says you need to let me have it so I can check your internal drive, I said to him, I knew you all were going to pull some crap like this I call the 911 dispatcher and report that I’ve been threatened and all you all want to do is try and make something up so you can put me in jail. I asked them how come no one is going to the other person home. They say the Sargent is handling it now like I said only two cars showed up and where I live one way in and one way out and my home is on the main drag so I get to see who comes and goes. Now I asked the cops to get off my property due to them not wanting to follow up on the neighbor and as I am saying this the sheriffs deputy starts to get a attitude and I say this I gave up voluntarily video to prove that they are lying and you are wanting to get in to my laptop so I’m a smart ass at times and I do this I start to log off and restart my laptop and say to him if you can get into my laptop then go ahead and look. Well he try’s but it’s locked and Apple has the best security second to none. So I asked them so you all are not going to follow up on the neighbor? And they ignored me so I kindly ask them to leave and they do so. My point to this is if you call the cops they find out that your on the registry as soon as they show up they are going to think your guilty, and once the neighbors start it is disaster. I’ve been dealing with this for 5 yrs on the registry here in Florida cause of South Carolina which I shouldn’t be on in sc. because of Indiana released me. But that’s another story , just letting you know if you go and report that it will be hell on you as I’m dealing with.
Donald, your story is all over the place. The main thing I want to say is, why the hell did you even talk to the police (other than reporting the incident)?
Well once I reported the incident they asked me if I had any proof to say that I was not video the neighbor kids. And I showed them. Cause I knew if I didn’t my ass would of been sitting in a jail cell
That’s the unfortunate unintended consequence of reporting an incident. The outcome completely depends on the officer who responds. I still think you did the right thing by reporting it, but it does show how we need to be prepared to protect ourselves if a bad officer responds.
I had some kids down the street from me when I first moved in who liked to ride their dirt bikes through my driveway and yard. Apparently they had been doing that for quite some time before I lived there and I really didn’t want to stir the pot, so when my registration officer came out I mentioned it to him and I think he sent someone down there to talk to them about how they could get in trouble for destruction of property and or trespassing. It stopped immediately. Maybe there’s some way you could move? It doesn’t seem like this is a problem that’s going to go away for you unfortunately. And if you say something it may just get worse.
Ben
#1 No one should have to move
#2 Moving ain’t easy for us (think restrictions etc ) and it ain’t cheap to move.
#3 If he/she or anyone moves, we let the jerks win
#4 And My favorite, if you move, how do you know things will not be as bad or worse where you move to? And you are right back where you started. Pass the gravy please.
ON a side note, I have had several neighbors move when they realized I was not moving no matter what they did to me. I ended up being blessed with a next door neighbor that is great.
You should report it to the police.
Besides the damage to your car (just the beginning I would imagine), that “kid” might tell others and once the story gets around it will be told differently and will go from: “I asked him to suck my d#ck” to “Did you hear that Mr. X sucked some young dudes d#ck” and at that point who knows who will show up and what they might do (and in their mind actually justified) based on that lie (the actual point and goal of the registry)!
REPORT IT ASAP – DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!
I love my Eufy video doorbell. It records with sound but the best 2 features are no cost for a service and the recordings are stored inside your home on the base unit. No cloud and no access to anyone outside
I second what most have said. I most definitely would report it. As Brian said, the local police know you by now and know they don’t have problems with you. I reported a problem once in Seminole county during my 6-month checkup. I told them I was nervous to report it and the officer said not to worry, that I did the right thing. Then she said, “it’s good not to be on our watch list.” So that reinforces that they know who they need to worry about and who they don’t.
I have a video security system at my house, and I have all possible approaches to my property covered. Once I had a problem and called the sheriff. I showed them the video from my phone and provided him a copy on a thumb drive. That resulted in the person getting arrested and me in the clear.
WHL
When two 10-12 year old boys came over and started throwing rocks at my house, I stood beside my camera so it would record what I said to them. As they ran off, I watched what house they went to. When the police came, I offered to show them the video but they said “We believe you and we will take care of it”. I told them I was not pressing any charges and there was only a minor ding on my vehicle. I just want them to know I am not putting up with that crap. Obviously the parents had told them the boogy man lived in that house (my house) or something.
I watched as the two officers in 2 seperate patrol cruisers pulled in front of the house. I saw the Mother come out and could see the kids were scared shitless. The officers were there for about 30 minutes (I was watching out the window threw a crack in the blinds). The officers left and did not come back to my house. I never had a problem with those kids again but have had a few with some other neighbors.
Several things: Fist off, For them to be there that long, I am sure the lady engaged the officers in a discussion about “Why sex offenders have to live by me anyway?” I think when the officers told the parent I was willing to not press charges if it doesn’t happen again and that I had the boys on camera throwing the rocks and running away for evidence, the Mom probably gave them a what for once inside the house. Having said that, I do not blame the mother for telling her kids, I blame the “NON” punishment registry for all of us having to endure this crap on a daily basis (Collectively)
We have almost no rights to privacy, protection and peace it seems.
That’s good, it sounds like the cops took care of your situation. For us, it’s hit or miss. Some people get helped by law enforcement, and others get harassed. I’m lucky as I live in a very tough county, yet I’m almost always treated with respect by the Sheriff’s department.
The No Trespassing signs are also a good idea. Our community placed them at the entrance to our private front patios, where the front door is. We have had a few instances where the Sheriff has come out and trespassed someone who opened the gate anyway. If nothing else, it’s one more thing to help protect you.