Orono approves sex offender restrictions

1-19-2017 Minnesota:

Level 3 sex offenders who move to Orono will have to keep their distance from areas where children congregate.

One of the first items of business Orono city councilors attended to in 2017 was to adopt residency restrictions for level 3 sex offenders.

The new regulations mean that those offenders may not live within 2,000 feet of any school, daycare center, park or playground within Orono. The measure received unanimous approval.

Councilor Aaron Printup advocated for the ordinance and city officials have been working on the issue for months. In November, the council held a public hearing to get input on the matter. One man spoke at that meeting, and he was in favor of the restrictions.

“This is something I’ve been thinking about for quite some time,” he said. “I commend you for being thoughtful enough to think about this.”

The new restrictions only apply to level 3 offenders, because they are the only sex offenders who have personal information that’s available to the public.

Predatory offenders who are released from prison or other confinement are assigned risk levels. Those given a level 1 are deemed to be at a lower risk of re-offending, those with a level 2 are considered to be at a moderate risk of re-offending, while those with a level 3 are determined to be at a higher risk of re-offending. There are also some offenders who have not been assigned a level, such as offenders who were released prior to the time when levels were assigned.

Local law enforcement is notified when predatory offenders move into their communities, but that information is only public with level 3 offenders. Previously, Orono Police Chief Correy Farniok told the council that his department conducts quarterly, and in some cases monthly, checks on offenders in the city. There are eight predatory offenders living in Orono who must register with the department, but all of them have been assigned a risk level of 1 or are not assigned.

There are exceptions to Orono’s residency restrictions. Those include offenders who are minors or who were minors when they committed the offense, cases where a school, playground, daycare center or park opened within 2,000 feet of an offender after the offender established a permanent or temporary residence in the area, and when the residence is also the primary residence of the offender’s parents, grandparents, siblings, spouse or adult children.

Shorewood

Shorewood officials are also considering enacting residency restrictions for level 3 offenders.

Councilors first discussed the issue at their Jan. 9 meeting, but decided to hold off on voting on an ordinance until South Lake Minnetonka Police Chief Mike Meehan could be present to answer questions about the issue. ..Source..