Offenders Scrutinized by County Probation Officers

SAN BERNARDINO>> San Bernardino County Probation Officers conducted home compliance visits on Sunday, Oct. 30 and Monday, Oct. 31 to confirm that probationers on the Sex Offender Unit’s caseload were in compliance with their court-ordered terms and conditions, which includes not participating in Halloween or other activities that would entice children to come to their residence. On Halloween, San Bernardino County Probation Officers visited sex offenders throughout the Inland Empire, The High Desert, Morongo Basin, Colorado River Areas and local Mountain Communities, to ensure that each offender’s house was dark, that they did not have any decorations outside and that they did not pass out candy while children were trick or treating. Officers also searched inside each house for possible violations. “Community safety is the main goal of these yearly compliance operations,” said Supervising Probation Officer Brady Lock of the department’s Sex Offender Unit. “We are out on Halloween to verify that these offenders are abiding by their terms and conditions and that neighborhoods are safe.” Offenders were contacted by probation officers in the Sex Offender Unit prior to the operation to remind them of their terms and conditions of probation and to let them know they may receive visits from probation officers. Officers contacted 248 offenders at their residences during this annual Halloween compliance operation. While most offenders were found to be in compliance, 13 people were arrested. These arrests were for violations of probation, bench warrants, curfew violations, possession and/or consumption of alcohol and drug possession. Two people were arrested for possession of pornography and methamphetamine use. Chief Probation Officer Michelle Scray Brown commented on the annual Halloween compliance operation. “While the mission of probation is diverse, public safety is always our primary role in supervising offenders. The value of this special holiday operation is provide a deterrence and remind supervised sex offenders that we are constantly vigilant.”