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COLUMN FOR THE WEEK OF 9/11/06 By Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava
SCOZZAFAVA: NEW LEGISLATION WILL
HELP POLICE TRACK SEX OFFENDERS
As a parent, I understand the urge to protect children from violent sex crimes, which is why I have been a leader in developing policy to keep pedophiles away from our young people. In my continued efforts to keep our families safe, I support a proposal allowing police officers access to sex offender registration records via vehicle license plate information. We must provide police officers with every resource to track sexual predators and make New York safer for women and children.
When a police officer pulls over or sees a vehicle suspiciously parked around a school or playground, a quick check of the license plate usually reveals whether there are outstanding warrants for the owner. Nothing about the person's sex offender status is available.
Now consider what would happen if the individual is a Level 3 sex offender with an 8-year-old boy or girl in the car. This legislation would allow police to more effectively enforce the law and protect children from becoming a victim of the most heinous of crimes.
Under this legislation, the state Department of Motor Vehicles would be required to list on individual driving records whether the vehicle owner is a Level 3 sex offender. This legislation is similar to existing Megan's Law requirements that sexual predators notify authorities of the communities in which they settle. This allows law enforcement to be better informed when accessing driving records.
The importance of this legislation cannot be underestimated. Prevention is key to keeping children from harm's way and, as a society, we should do all we can to provide law enforcement with the tools they need to protect our children. That is why it's important my constituents know that, as their assemblywoman, I will continue my work to make this legislation a reality for New Yorkers.
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