SANTA ROSA COUNTY, Fla. –Saturday is Halloween, and Florida probation officers are trying to protect trick-or-treaters.
The Florida Department of Corrections says it’s conducting more than 5,000 home inspections statewide to ensure sex offenders under felony supervision aren’t a threat to kids.
These restrictions only apply to some convicted sex offenders. The home checks are designed to make sure sex offenders who are currently on probation are following court-ordered Halloween restrictions.
The FDC supervises more than 7,000 of these individuals, many of whom live in Northwest Florida. They’re prohibited from passing out candy and putting up decorations.
Their porch lights must be turned off and they must close their blinds.
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office says it’ll be joining forces with the Department of Corrections to help ensure a safe holiday.
“They can’t turn their porch lights on,” Chief Deputy Randy Tifft said. “They can’t have decorations out, and cannot hand candy out to kids in the neighborhoods. And we will be participating. Our sex offender unit at Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office will be going out with state probation, checking probationers that are in Santa Rosa County to make sure they’re complying with the law.”
“Sometimes they have a very long probation. Sometimes they’re not on a lengthy probation,” he said. “It just depends on their crimes, but it is only affecting those that are on state sex offender probation.”
Sex offenders on probation also cannot wear masks or costumes or attend Halloween parties where kids may be present.
The Department of Corrections says anyone caught violating their suspension conditions could face immediate arrest and violation-of-probation proceedings.
You can find a map of sex offenders currently on probation near your home or your trick-or-treating route by visiting this website.