The Longmont City Council directed city staff to proceed with a potential new local law that could restrict where registered sex offenders can live, during its regular session Tuesday.
However, some exemptions were carved out for sex offenders who already reside within those distances, according to the draft ordinance. The council indicated that it wanted city staff to research distance restrictions as it relates to sex offenders living near schools, parks, playgrounds, child care centers and other sensitive locations. Whether or not the ordinance would apply to all sex offenders or just certain categories of them, such as those who committed sexually violent crimes or those against children, remains to be seen.
Some councilmembers expressed concerns about the unintended consequences of implementing residency restrictions on sex offenders, namely that they could lead to certain areas of the city becoming pockets for where more sex offenders would reside. During the Feb. The residence in question is roughly 0.
There are no statewide restrictions in Colorado as to where sex offenders can or cannot live, according to Rob Low, Colorado Bureau of Investigation strategic communications director. If a sex offender is on some type of supervision, it may be in the conditions set by their parole or probation officer that they not live near a school, park, day care or other sensitive areas. At this time, there are no distance requirements for how far sex offenders must live from parks or schools in Longmont.
Longmont, which has a population of roughly , people, had sex offenders as of Monday, according to a spokesperson for Longmont police. Boulder, currently, has registered sex offenders and does not have any ordinances regarding where sex offenders can live in the city, according to a spokesperson for Boulder police. By Matthew Bennett mbennett prairiemountainmedia. More in Latest Headlines.
