UPDATE: Fort Meyers leaders go ahead with sex offender ordinance

1-8-2013 Florida:

FORT MYERS, Fla.- UPDATE: Fort Myers city leaders gave the go-ahead-- to consider a new ordinance that would create tougher restrictions on registered sex offenders.

The Police Chief introduced the new measure at Monday night's meeting. Members agreed to put the item on a February agenda for a public hearing.

___ is accused of pulling up child porn on a computer inside the North Fort Myers library in September.

The incident prompted the Fort Myers Police Department to create the city's own sexual offender ordinance.

If City Council ok's it, sexual offenders would be required to stay at least 300 feet from parks and schools.

There are 90 sexual offenders who live in Fort Myers.

Fort Myers Police Dept. Captain Jim Mulligan said, "This gives us a better chance to keep an eye on the offenders and make sure they follow the rules and for most part they do, but one or two stray and we want parents to know we are on top of it."

This new ordinance is identical to Lee County's ordinance which has been in effect since 2009.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement website reports there are 656 sexual offenders living in Lee County.

The state already restricts sex offenders from living within one-thousand feet of many public places where children play.

The Florida branch of the American Civil Liberties Union said tougher restrictions set sexual offenders up for failure by inviting them to go off the grid. ..Source.. by WINK News