Activists tell Brook Park its sex offender law is 'counterproductive'

Apparently the Brook Park city council is determined to NOT listen to reason.

https://www.cleveland.com/brook-park/index.ssf/2018/10/activists_tell_brook_park_its.html

Activists tell Brook Park its sex offender law is 'counterproductive'
Updated Oct 8, 12:20 PM; Posted Oct 8, 10:47 AM
By Beth Mlady, Special to cleveland.com mladywrites@yahoo.com

City Council is still mulling an ordinance that would place further residency restrictions on registered sex offenders.

BROOK PARK, Ohio -- During their Oct. 2 regular meeting, Brook Park City Council members heard strong opinions expressed by two advocates for responsible sex offender residency laws.

City Council has proposed an ordinance tightening restrictions on where registered sex offenders can live by adding parks to the 1,000-foot perimeter list. It also would prohibit two offenders from living together in the same dwelling.

"These laws are counterproductive and cause many unintended consequences," said Shelley Cernin, a volunteer with Ohio Rational Sex Offense Laws. "Residency restrictions don't work. Let's make sure we are passing laws that do more than just make us feel good."

Barb Wright of Ohio RSOL and the National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws agreed with Cernin. In addition, she maintained that Brook Park's ordinance goes against Ohio's Home Rule statutes.

"This is just another -- as our president likes to say -- witch hunt," Wright told council. "We're looking for the bad guy, but we're looking for him in the wrong places."

She followed up the next day with an e-mail to council members stating her belief that they will make their decision "based upon hysteria."

"Brook Park is not the first city to make that mistake, nor will it be the last," Wright said.

Residents previously voiced concern about three registered sex offenders staying at the Howard Johnson by Wyndham hotel on Brookpark Road. An Oct. 5 interview with Police Chief Jim Foster indicated that there was no cause for alarm.

"They stayed for the number of days they were registered for ... and then they moved on," Foster said. "It was just that simple. There was a public perception they were moving in there permanently."

Councilman Brian Poindexter said he wants "the strictest ordinance ... that won't be overturned by legal challenges," while Law Director Carol Dillon Horvath offered her assistance to make sure the city's law is "fair and rational."

"It's imperative we do something to protect the innocence of the children and protect the future of the city," added Council President Mike Vecchio, originator of the ordinance.

The legislation received its second public reading and then was placed in Safety Committee for further discussion.

Advocacy group challenges proposed Brook Park sex offender ordinance

From Cleveland.com, and Kudos to Ohio RSOL

https://www.cleveland.com/brook-park/index.ssf/2018/09/advocacy_group_member_challeng.html

Advocacy group challenges proposed Brook Park sex offender ordinance
Updated Sep 29; Posted Sep 29
By Beth Mlady, Special to cleveland.com mladywrites@yahoo.com

An ordinance to further limit where registered sex offenders can live is still under consideration by Brook Park City Council.
BROOK PARK, Ohio -- Advocate Barbara Wright opposes Brook Park City Council's intention to further limit where registered sex offenders can live. The Brook Park ordinance under consideration adds parks to vicinity restrictions and also prohibits two sex offenders from living together in the same residential dwelling.

Wright, a member of advocacy groups Ohio Reform Sex Offender Laws (RSOL) and the National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (NARSOL), sent a lengthy e-mail to cleveland.com and Brook Park Law Director Carol Dillon Horvath on Sept. 24.

"I am writing to challenge those restrictions as a violation of Brook Park's home rule authority," Wright wrote. "Brook Park is proposing restrictions which exceed Ohio law prohibiting residents from living within 1,000 feet of any school, preschool or daycare center. Ohio RSOL is in the process of identifying plaintiffs to challenge similar restrictions in Cuyahoga County."

When contacted by cleveland.com, Wright would not provide further comment.

She maintains in her e-mail, however, that the U.S. Department of Justice reports that "residency restrictions do not protect society," and she asserted that "non-registered residents of Brook Park are nine times more likely to commit sex crimes than registered residents."

"The Brook Park ordinance will do absolutely nothing to prevent the majority of sex crimes from occurring, and may even lead residents to a false sense of security, thereby allowing them to 'let their guard down,'" Wright indicated. "Vigilance starts at home, not in public parks and playgrounds."

Horvath said City Council at its most recent meeting granted her extra time to further study the issue, and she is doing that, particularly in regard to the home-rule aspect, since Brook Park is a home-rule city.

"Everybody has their own views ... and the city's position is that we're continuing to review and research the proposed legislation," Horvath told cleveland.com.

The ordinance is slated to receive its second of three public readings during City Council's Oct. 2 meeting.