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Statement:
Reps. Kirk Pearson and Skip Priest on homeless sex offender
investigation
Last night's KING 5 TV report uncovers dangers of
state's public safety flaws
The recent case of a
homeless sex offender, David Torrence, who cut off his electronic
monitoring device (GPS) and fled out of state, is becoming all too
common according to state
Reps.
Kirk Pearson and
Skip
Priest. In fact, last night's
report on KING 5 News pointed out that of the 34 Level three sex
offenders recently released, 15 are homeless.
Pearson and Priest
authored several
key reforms this year that would assist the Department of
Corrections (DOC) with better tracking and monitoring of Level three sex
offenders, considered the most dangerous, and sex offenders who register
as homeless. A bill that may have helped immediately alert law
enforcement that Torrence had removed his electronic global positioning
device (GPS),
House Bill 2440, did not pass this year.
Rep.
Kirk Pearson, R-Monroe:
"Last night's television
investigation on homeless sex offenders is an eye-opener for all of us
-- even those of us working to update our laws -- to better track and
monitor sex offenders. The lack of housing for sex offenders concerns us
all. Instead of pointing fingers about the housing situation, the DOC
should be vetting every option to better use technology to ensure
adequate public safety. Then we can look at how it fits into housing and
other shelter options.
"The DOC currently uses
passive GPS monitoring, which is unacceptable. This year, we advocated
for real-time electronic monitoring for homeless sex offenders. With
real-time monitoring, law enforcement would have been alerted the
instant the GPS device was tampered with and removed. We have the
technology to do better for our families and victims of crimes, and we
should exhaust every option and use the latest technology to protect our
communities.
"We must also empower our
community corrections officers to complete random checks on sex
offenders, regardless of where they live. Together we can come up with
solutions -- our state's leadership can then stop offering excuses. We
must take seriously our duty to keep families safe."
Rep.
Skip Priest, R-Federal Way:
"Unfortunately, after the
tragic death of Zina Linnik last year, the DOC and state leadership is
still accepting the status quo for public safety. Of the many
common-sense updates to our public safety laws offered to the governor's
Special Sex Offender Task Force last fall, only a few passed. Some of
the simple, yet necessary legislation, such as real-time GPS use and
Internet and Web site registration for sex offenders, were sidelined. We
all agree that better monitoring adds to public safety, and stability
and accountability must be part of a successful offender re-entry plan.
But, this debate must stop being centered around offenders and focus
more on protecting victims and their families.
"Electronic monitoring is
not the silver bullet to keeping tabs on the most dangerous sex
offenders. But I believe that integrating a solid combination of
real-time monitoring, accountability through random visits and stricter
penalties for failing to abide by the rules of release will begin to
turn the tide in our corrections system. In addition, a realistic plan
for sex offender housing options must be discussed at the state and
local level.
"Public safety is tough
business, but these are tough times and the state must step up to the
plate. We're either serious about protecting families, or full of
excuses why we aren't doing the job that needs to be done. Our proposals
clearly fall on the side of protecting families first, whatever the
cost."
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For more information, contact:
Bobbi Cussins, Public Information Officer:
(360) 786-7252
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