POLK CO., Fla. — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) said 32 people were arrested during a sexual offender/predator compliance initiative in the weeks leading up to, and on, Oct. 31.
Deputies said the operation was aimed at ensuring compliance with Florida's registration laws for convicted sexual offenders and sexual predators.
PCSO said there are 1,431 sexual offenders, 158 of whom are sexual predators, registered in Polk County who are checked every quarter to ensure they are complying with the laws.
During the weeks leading up to Halloween, 14 sexual offenders or predators were arrested, two warrants were served out of state and 16 offenders or predators were arrested for probation violations, per PCSO.
“Sexual offenders/predators on probation are supervised by the Department of Corrections, and their probation stipulates that they are prohibited from engaging in Halloween activities such as having contact with children, distributing candy/treats, or having Halloween decorations,” said PCSO in a statement.
Several of these arrests are pending further investigation.
New mental health programs making an impact in Florida
Florida Behavioral Health Association's Scott Burgess shared with Tampa Bay 28 Anchor Wendy Ryan the successes of new initiatives being tested across Florida.
