Precinct 4 deputies check sex offenders homes before Halloween
SPRING, Texas (FOX 26) - On the night before Halloween, Harris County Constable's Deputies are driving to various addresses in their database of registered sex offenders, making sure those houses are not set to attract trick-or-treaters Wednesday night.
Captain Jonathan Zitzmann said the guidelines for sex offenders include no decorating of any kind and turning their porch lights off.
"First we make contact with the sex offenders themselves. We make sure that all their information is up to date and especially around Halloween, we want to make sure that nothing exists outside the homes that would attract children to their home on Halloween," Zitzmann said.
If a sex offender fails to comply, they could face serious consequences.
"Depending on the violation they're guilty of, they could receive a felony charge for that," Zitzmann said.
Deputies recommend that parents know their kids whereabouts and routes ahead of time, and at all times throughout the night. For teenagers trick-or-treating without an adult, authorities recommend using the buddy system.
"We highly recommend that one, parents be there with their kids to trick or treat. If the kids are getting a bit older and the cool thing is to not have the parents out there, make sure the kids are in groups," Zitzmann said.
The Texas Department of Public Safety has a mobile app that lets parents search for registered sex offenders by name, location, route and proximity.