Sheriff Warns Trick Or Treaters About Registered Sex Offenders

DECATUR, GA — Trick-or-treaters are again being warned to avoid going to homes where registered sex offenders live on Halloween night, which falls on Tuesday this year.

“Law enforcement agencies are encouraged to see growth in the popularity of neighborhood-based ‘trick or treat’ events,” DeKalb County Sheriff Jeffrey Mann said in a statement. “Every year, more community groups and homeowner associations are coming together to minimize the risks associated with this annual event by sponsoring opportunities closer to home and in the company of familiar people.”

If you must venture outside your neighborhood on Tuesday night, Sheriff Mann advises that sex offenders’ addresses are available online at www.dekalbsheriff.org, which provides a quick reference link to the national sex offender database. Click on “Search for Offenders in Your Area” and enter your address to locate registered offenders who live in your neighborhood.

There are currently 950 registered sex offenders in DeKalb County, and another 77 registered sex offenders are in custody at the DeKalb County Jail.

SEE ALSO: Decatur-Avondale Estates 2017 Halloween Sex Offender Safety Info

Typically, local law enforcement agencies increase surveillance of offenders on Halloween. In DeKalb County, deputies will focus attention on the 10 registered sex offenders who must also wear electronic monitoring devices and are considered to be “predators.” Sheriff’s deputies plan to visit those addresses to remind them of restrictions against enticing children with decorations or leaving their homes on Halloween night.

Release: DeKalb County Sheriff's Office

Image: Shutterstock