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Politics & Government

Cerritos City Council Discusses Restriction of Sex Offenders In Local Parks

Two ordinances were discussed on banning sex offenders in city parks, but the item was ultimately tabled for a later date.

During the March 22 Cerritos City Council meeting, -- both of which were tabled for a later date to involve a more comprehensive list of local facilities and not just parks.

Dr. Gregory Berg, the city's community and safety services director, presented two options that would prohibit registered sex offenders from entering city parks. One ordinance is all encompassing, banning ALL sex offenders from entering parks in Cerritos, while the other ordinance would only prohibit sex offenders convicted of crimes against minors. Berg said a number of counties and cities in Los Angeles and Orange County have adopted these types of restrictions.

“Section 290, the penal code, is based on a California proposition, and it requires anyone that's convicted for a variety of sex crimes to be life-long registrants with their local police department or sheriff's department,” Berg said.

Berg said the registrants are required to “check in” once a year, and to register when they move. The Cerritos Community Safety Committee proposed only prohibiting sex offenders convicted of crimes against minors. However, the city's Parks and Recreation Commission recommended banning all sex offenders from entering Cerritos' parks.

Mayor Pro Tem Bruce Barrows was concerned that going with the more narrow option of only prohibiting minor-related sex offenders might leave out protecting another category -- mainly women.

“I'd be a lot more comfortable knowing that we're a little more proactive than just reactive on one side of it,” Barrows said.

Councilmember Joseph Cho was concerned with how the ordinance would be enforced. Berg informed the board that enforcement will come “after the fact,” since it's difficult for a law enforcement officer to know whether or not someone is a sex offender without processing proper identification. Berg said a detective who has worked in the Cerritos area finds that most of the time, when there is a city ordinance involved, the sex offender does not live in that city.

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“We should do our best to protect community safety, however on the other hand, we should also protect our residents with human rights,” Cho said. “Even though they are registered sex offenders, they are also our residents, just like you and I.”

The next city council meeting will be held on April  12.

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