PLEASE COMMENT ON ARTICLE: Putnam County passes one of Florida’s toughest sex offender ordinances after ‘Predator Camp’ outcry
Months after a storm of community outrage over what neighbors called a “predator camp,” Putnam County has enacted one of the strictest sex offender ordinances in the state of Florida.
The controversial park at the center of it all — CCM Park on Balsam Street — once housed more than 22 registered sex offenders living in proximity. The situation sparked public concern, a series of investigative reports, and ultimately, sweeping legislative action.
Putnam County Sheriff Gator DeLoach said the situation at CCM Park was the turning point.
“Well, that was certainly the catalyst for the introduction of this ordinance,” Sheriff DeLoach said, “And it’s our hope and desire that this ordinance is an effective tool for us to help eliminate that problem from ever creeping up on us again.”
The ordinance, which was passed on August 26th and is now in effect, increases the residency buffer zone for registered sex offenders and predators. They are now prohibited from living within 2,500 feet of schools, childcare facilities, school bus stops, parks, or playgrounds — more than double the 1,000 feet required by Florida state law.
It also bans offenders from living within 500 feet of one another unless they are related by blood, marriage, or adoption.
Under the new rules, sex offenders and predators cannot live in multi-family dwellings, manufactured home parks, or condominiums if more than 10 percent of the occupied units are already housing registered sex offenders.
Leota Wilkinson, Chair of the Putnam County Commission, said the new rules send a strong message. “If you’ve offended, then you might not wanna come and live in Putnam County.”
[FAC NOTE: FAC IS ORGANIZING A LAWSUIT AGAINST PUTNAM FOR THIS RETALIATORY ORDINANCE. IF YOU ARE IMPACTED BY IT AND WANT TO BE A PLAINTIFF, PLEASE CONTACT [email protected].]
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I can’t believe this . I would like to know, of those 22 or so PFR, did any of them reoffend ?
Do you want them to ? Studies show that proper housing, resources and support is what is needed to help PFR re enter and survive .
I think a lot of fear mongering to the public with this registry, is causing mass hysteria in our society today. Instead of continuing to punish for the rest of their lives, oh, and even after death, the public needs to be more educated. Classes need to be held in our schools, telling children not to be posting things on the internet that will get back at them. PFR are not “stranger danger”, most are committed by family members .
Where are these PFR supposed to go ? Maybe back to prison . I understand there is funding for that. However, how much does it cost to have one person in prison ? We are at the point of mass incarceration. These PFR are not dangerous . They have served their time, they don’t need to be further punished, humiliated, or worse . This is unconstitutional, and against all humanity .
This is totally shocking! Where are these so called leaders getting their information. The ignorance is beyond me. I wonder if any of them have ever read a study or other information on PFRs. I feel like we are regressing rather than progressing in our current society.
Agreed. Its all emotionally ran BS instead of facts.
Saint Lucie county has had a 2500 foot restriction for years.
I foresee more arrested, absconding, and fewer counties in our future. Florida counties keep tightening the noose, to the point of almost nowhere for us to live. The state is slowly shrinking, and there’s more people being placed on the registry everyday. Some of the other states, are getting just as bad, so the question becomes, where do they all get to live? Because if they all move to another state, you can bet they’re going to be another Florida!
Tereto
If they at some point, they don’t start to allow some long timers off of the registry, eventually, the way things are going with arrests, registered persons could outnumber the average population. I was one of the originals in 1997, and since then, we are at about 1 million registered people and growing. That is not a good thing for either side.
We don’t want to be a registered citizen, and no one that is not one doesn’t want us anywhere. The bubble will eventually pop for better or for worse. Hopefully for the better. I do not know the stats, but I do know that people being added to the registry count, way outnumber those who are being removed from the registry.
Still trying to figure out how critical mass of 22 PFRs is going to be a problem if they haven’t done anything to anyone other than just trying to survive among themselves. If anything, it makes Gator’s work easier to know where they are at at any given time. Do they not think these things through? I guess not because in trying to make your work easier, you look foolish.
Disappointed that there are only four comments on the article posted. We can do better.
I tried to reply but was not able to. The comment screen come up blank.
Me too