Sheriff's Department Tracks Sex Offenders on Halloween

The Cook County Sheriff’s Department is making sure registered sex offenders are accounted for on Halloween.

The department is requiring that sex offenders living in unincorporated Cook County check in at one of five Cook County Sheriff’s Office police facilities. There, the offenders will take a new photo and view an educational video explaining their responsibilities and requirements under the law, and updating them on new regulations.  

In addition to the check-in, Sheriff’s Police officers will be conducting random compliance checks of registered sex offenders on Oct. 31. Officers will go going door to door conducting “knock and talks” to verify addresses and make sure they are in compliance with rules and regulations.

“Halloween is a time of fun for children, and we want to make sure that on Sunday we are doing what we can to ensure the safety of kids out trick or treating, and to make sure the sex offenders within our jurisdiction understand that we will be watching them,” Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said.

The department is also taking notes from the Jaycee Dugard case. Dugard was kidnapped in California in the 1990s and was hidden in her offenders backyard for years before being discovered. Because of this, Sheriff Dart is now ordering his police department to get aerial footage in conjunction with a detective walking the grounds of each residence for this year’s compliance check.

To learn where registered sex offenders are living in Illinois, please go to: http://www.isp.state.il.us/sor/.

Here are some guidelines from the Cook County Sheriff’s Department for a fun and safe Halloween:

• Make sure children are dressed safely in flame-retardant costumes and not wearing masks that obstruct vision.
• Adults should accompany young trick-or-treaters.
• Preferably trick-or-treat during daylight hours.
• Never go inside a home to accept treats, unless you know the person.
• Target homes and blocks with which you are familiar for trick or treating.
• Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.
• Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them.