FORT SMITH (KFSM) - We are just days away from ghosts and goblins, and alls things scary roaming the streets and looking for treats. But to make sure your kids stay safe, deputies with the Sebastian County Sheriff's Office are hitting the pavement Wednesday (Oct.15) looking for real monsters.
Sixteen teams of deputies will be out on the streets checking where sex offenders live for the rest of the week. Their goal is to make sure kids stay safe when they're out trick of treating this Halloween.
"We have so many kids that are vulnerable in this day of age," said Captian Mike Conger. "There's various things going on and we want to keep predators off the street." Deputies with the Sebastian County Sheriff's Office keep a very close eye on where sex offenders are living and what they're doing. They do that by performing compliance checks on them throughout the year.
"We usually do it during Halloween so we let the parents and everyone know that we do this to keep kids safe and not go to a house where an offender might be, " according to Conger. Right now, there are 69 convicted sex offenders living in county limits so to make sure the deputies know who they are and which houses are theres an offender has to check in with deputies twice a year said Conger. " They actually have to check into the office and do paper work and re-photograph whats going on," said Conger.
With Halloween coming up, kids are going to be out going door to door asking that all too familiar question, trick- or- treat? But for law enforcement, it's a little scary that kids aren't always aware of which doorbells they should'nt be ringing. So to keep kids from knocking on those doors, they have the sex offenders put up a sign to let parents know.
"We have a bright pumpkin and it has a circle with a slash through it," said Conger. Deputies said it's also a good idea that parents get an idea of their trick- or- treat routes before hand. "What they need to do is go online to where ever their living and find out where an offender might be living in their area or close by," said Conger. "Its just the responsiblity of adults to take care of their kids."
Anyone can go to the Sebastian County online website and check to see if an offender lives near you.
Deputies with the Sebastian County Sheriff's Office will be doing the compliance check through Friday (Oct.17). If offenders don't meet the compliance checks, authorities said a warrant is issued for their arrest and they go back to jail.