FL- Bill to aid tracking of career criminals hits dead end

5-1-2009 Florida:

TAMPA - A bill that could give police the authority to arrest anyone who hinders their efforts in tracking career criminals will not pass the Senate today.

Similar to the Jessica Lunsford Act, the bill would allow police to charge with a third-degree felony anyone who gives them false information about a career criminal's whereabouts.

A companion bill passed in the state House of Representatives on Monday. The Tampa Police Department, which worked with Rep. Michael Scionti and Sen. Victor Crist on drafting the bill, hoped it would move out of committee to be voted on by the Senate later today.It was not discussed on the Senate floor.

"We'll try it again next year. It's a good idea," police Maj. Sophia Teague said.

Detective Rick Cochran, who suggested the legislation, coordinates regular checks on sexual offenders, sexual predators and career criminals. Career offenders are adjudicated as such by the court system if, for instance, they commit a certain offense such as rape, robbery or murder within three years of their release from prison.

Such offenders have to register their addresses each time they move, Cochran said.

Tampa officers occasionally drop by the registered addresses to ensure the information is up to date, should the person need to be found in the future.

Cochran said he meets roommates or relatives on the sex-offender or predator checks who occasionally are evasive about the person's whereabouts. That evasion disappears once he cites the Lunsford Law, noting he can arrest them for giving false information.

"Once I let them know that part of the statute, they'll come clean and say, 'Well, I'm not going to jail. He doesn't live here,'" the detective said. ..News Source.. by VALERIE KALFRIN | The Tampa Tribune