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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The El Dorado County Board of Super visors gave initial approval Tuesday to a law that will make it a crime for registered sex offenders to frequent public parks.
The ordinance makes it a misdemeanor for registered sex offenders to enter county public parks, playgrounds, recreational areas and many other locations where children regularly gather without written permission from the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office, according to a statement from the El Dorado County District Attorney's Office.
“The recent case against Phillip Garrido is a good example of sex offenders' predatory behavior,” according to the statement. “Phillip Garrido was a registered sex offender, who, even after kidnapping and imprisoning Jaycee Lee Dugard, would frequent parks and videotape children as they played, searching for his next victim.”
Violations of the ordinance are punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a $500 fine.
Supervisors unanimously passed the ordinance Tuesday. Final approval of the ordinance is expected Feb. 14.
The ordinance was modeled after other city and county ordinances around Cali fornia and was developed and proposed by District Attorney Vern Pierson, Sheriff John D' Agostini, Chief Deputy County Counsel Edward Knapp and El Dorado County Of fice of Education Superintendent Vicki Barber.
There are approximately 300 registered sex offenders in El Dorado County.
The ordinance makes it a misdemeanor for registered sex offenders to enter county public parks, playgrounds, recreational areas and many other locations where children regularly gather without written permission from the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office, according to a statement from the El Dorado County District Attorney's Office.
“The recent case against Phillip Garrido is a good example of sex offenders' predatory behavior,” according to the statement. “Phillip Garrido was a registered sex offender, who, even after kidnapping and imprisoning Jaycee Lee Dugard, would frequent parks and videotape children as they played, searching for his next victim.”
Violations of the ordinance are punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a $500 fine.
Supervisors unanimously passed the ordinance Tuesday. Final approval of the ordinance is expected Feb. 14.
The ordinance was modeled after other city and county ordinances around Cali fornia and was developed and proposed by District Attorney Vern Pierson, Sheriff John D' Agostini, Chief Deputy County Counsel Edward Knapp and El Dorado County Of fice of Education Superintendent Vicki Barber.
There are approximately 300 registered sex offenders in El Dorado County.
