Lake Charles –
Before your children Trick-or-Treat this Halloween, Sheriff Mancuso wants parents to have real-time access to sex offenders in your area. “We consistently conduct address verifications for sex offenders and do our best to ensure sex offenders live where they tell us, but it is up to our citizens to utilize these online tools to see who the registered sex offenders are and where they are living,” says Sheriff Mancuso, “It is critical that you “Know Before You Go” this Halloween.”
Sheriff Mancuso advises parents to go to the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office website at www.cpso.com and click on the Sex Offender Watch tab. Parents can quickly search for offenders in their area using this database. Simply enter your home address to view a printable map of your neighborhood and any offenders in the surrounding area. “If you aren’t planning on Trick-or-Treating in your own neighborhood, but will be in a different neighborhood, register that address beforehand so you know which houses to avoid,” says Sheriff Mancuso.
While you are on the website, Sheriff Mancuso encourages you to take one extra step and register for the site’s free e-mail alerts. “You can enter your home, school, or grandparents’ addresses to receive real-time e-mail notifications any time an offender moves within one mile of any address you register. There is no cost for this service to the public, and no limit to the number of addresses you can register. Your email address and physical addresses are all confidential. With these resources available parents can feel confident that they are armed with the necessary tools to keep their children safe this Halloween,” says Sheriff Mancuso.
During actual trick-or-treating hours on Halloween Day, CPSO Sex Offender Unit and Warrants Division will be monitoring offenders, assuring they are adhering to the restrictions and requirements.
Other Halloween safety tips include:
· Watch out for your children and make sure they are supervised by a trusting adult at all times.
· Keep children off the streets after dark. If they do go out after dark, make sure they wear reflective clothing and carry a flashlight.
· Never let your kids go out with realistic replicas of firearms.
· If your older children are going out alone, give them a curfew and have them tell you what route they will be taking.
· Remind your kids to never enter a stranger’s home or accept a ride from a stranger.
· Motorists should drive slowly and watch closely for trick-or-treaters.