Aurora – A “safety zone for kids” is how City Councilman Larry Beer describes his proposal to restrict sex offenders from living near schools, parks and recreation centers.
Beer is venturing into territory few Colorado cities have gone: He wants to ban sexually violent predators and those who assault children from living within 1,000 feet of schools, parks and recreation centers.
Those convicted of other sex offenses would not be restricted.
In Colorado, only Greenwood Village restricts where offenders can live. Lyons officials recently shot down a similar proposal.
“If nothing else, it removes one level of temptation for recidivism on the part of the offender and provides one more level for the safety of our kids,” Beer said.
A city committee postponed the matter recently to study a state review, which showed that limiting where sex offenders can live does not deter them from reoffending.
Critics of the laws argue that these types of laws isolate sex offenders in places where they can’t receive treatment and may force them underground.
Buffy Fletcher of Colorado Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants agrees with the study’s findings.
She said putting restrictions on where sex offenders can live might drive them to smaller cities with fewer resources to track the convicts. That is already happening in Florida and Iowa, which are states that have strict limitations on where sex offenders can live, she said.
“We’re not saying people shouldn’t be worried at all,” Fletcher said. “But there might be better ways to address this issue.”
Beer said he brought the proposal forward after residents in his ward were notified that a sexually violent predator, Christopher Parra, was moving into a neighborhood.
About 200 people at a meeting to inform the community about Parra were surprised to learn the city did not have any limitations on where offenders can live.
So Beer’s proposal will come back to the public safety committee to determine whether it will be forwarded to the full City Council for consideration.
“It would be nice to say if you pass this, you’ll never have another problem with this in Aurora,” Beer said. “Realistically, we know that’s not the case. But I believe it is effective for the stated purpose.”
Staff writer Carlos Illescas can be reached at 303-954-1175 or cillescas@denverpost.com.
