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As everyone knows, keeping our children safe is a top priority. On nights like Halloween, it is even more important to be aware of any circumstances that might put our children at risk. The Mayor of Grovestown, Georgia is especially taking no chances with his most recent announcement on Facebook.
Mayor Gary E. Jones of Grovetown, Georgia announced on his Facebook page that he plans to round up sex offenders on Halloween night and hold them at city hall. He posted:
“In order to ensure the safety of our children, all sex offenders (on Probation) in the City of Grovetown (area) will be housed in the Council Chambers on Halloween night from 6pm-9pm.
There are approx. 25-30 offenders and they will be overseen by the GA Dept. of Community Supervision District 10 (4 officers) and accompanied by one Grovetown Officer.”
The mayor stated that the decision was not based any prior incidences, it was simply a “precautionary action”. The post has sparked positive, negative and a lot of questioning around the legality of this move.
As for the legality, Mayor Jones responded, “It most certainly is; otherwise, I would not be doing it.”, followed up with another comment stating “I would not jeopardize the City. The GA Community Supervision District 10 has every right to require this.”
Despite the Mayor’s claims, many commenting on the post are still debating if it is actual legal. Some not debating, simply do not care if it is within the Mayor’s rights. Others are praising him for making an effort to keep children safe.
As a result, the post has gained 286 reactions including 188 likes, 69 love, 23 wow, 4 angry, 1 laugh and 1 sad face. Many calling for him to reach out to their own Mayors in hopes other counties will follow suit. According to City Data the town has 72 registered sex offenders as of October 25, 2018. The offenders that can legally be detained are the ones still on Probation.
Stats show that there is no specific evidence that shows children are in more danger on Halloween from sex offenders. The National Safety Council reports that children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than any other day. Parents can better ensure their children’s safety by taking proper precautions.
