Deputy DA to Push For Lake Forest Sex Offender Ban

Robert Curtis November 19, 2011 at 02:21 am

It amazes me that this ordinance is being considered because the OC Sheriff's dept. handles policing of Lake Forest. It has been the policy of the OC Sheriff's dept. not to allow the registrant to be at either OC county parts or those city parts under their agency like Lake Forest. The second reason is that the DA's office, probation dept. and sheriff's dept. are doing a great job keeping crime down. Why add more to a system that already works? Unless it's just to further punish RSO and their families.

Robert Curtis November 19, 2011 at 03:36 am

There is one troubling question. Where is the opposing side? They did show up? Why wouldn't a group of people that this ordinance is going to affect not show up? Those people are afraid that's why! Although they have paid their debt to society. They're afraid for themselves but more for their families. So they don't stand up to protect their own rights. The rights that are just so wimseely swept away in the name of protecting the children. What about their children? They can't take them to the park or beach either. Where are we in Nazi Germany? I went through the Lake Forest leadership academy and during that 8 weeks a lot happened. I salon got shot up in Seal Beach (I'm a stylist) I received a US Congressional award for community service and my son saved a 4 yr old boy from drowning in a park. I'm a Registered ex-Sex offender (misdemeanor not involving a child) It happened 12 yrs ago. I've sense helped cancer patients, homeless veterans and battered women, but no matter what I do for good it'll always be trumped by being an RSO. I been feature on the front page of Saddle Back News, OC Register, on TV-news channels and a couple of OC magazines. I guess it's pretty good for a Registered Sex Offender. I feel it is my responsibility to be twice the citizen.

Donna November 20, 2011 at 05:12 pm

Robert Curtis - while your recent accomplishments are impressive, they should NOT even matter. From your own account, you have done the crime, you have done the time, and that should be the end of it. Once you are off parole / probation, there cannot be, under the Constitution of the United States of America, further punishment heaped upon you or anyone for a past conviction. And lets not kid ourselves - to call a presence ban on a public area, and a prohibition of taking your own children to an amenity designed specifically for them, anything but punishment is absurd. I vehemently oppose the notion of punishing Person A for something Person B did, does, or even better, might do. Because it is wrong, and because I would have to worry about some restriction placed upon me in the future for that speeding ticket I got in the mid seventies.
Aside from the fact that this ordinance is completely useless. Even IF it were a deterrent - if it worked to perfection - then there would be no sex crimes by RSOs in Orange County parks. Compared to the current statistics of - wait for it - no sex crimes by RSOs in OC parks. The recent convictions for registrants violating the ordinance are being touted as some sort of success that the new laws are working in protecting children. Protecting from what exactly? Some guy with a 30 year old conviction taking his kids to the park? Some guy with a recent misdemeanor conviction having a taco on Cinco de Mayo? No thank you.

Donna November 20, 2011 at 05:13 pm

As far as opposition - I used to believe that speaking out against injustice made a difference. If nothing else, these City Council meetings on especially this topic, have taught me otherwise. It is difficult to appeal to a sense of reason when public officials (City Council members, DA office) and private citizens keep rattling off horrible crimes (Runnion, Lunsford, Dugard cases etc) that have NOTHING to do with the issue at hand, which is sex crimes committed by 290 registrants IN public parks. Most meetings can be viewed on-line and leave me shaking my head.
I am not an RSO and as such not personally affected by this, but I am as a citizen who is alarmed by the continued erosion of basic rights and common sense. I believe the cities will continue to pass this ban, as to do otherwise would be political suicide (the 3 opposing HB CC members who at least appear to have a spine are duly noted - but they voted against a version of the ban, not necessarily the ban itself). The only recourse is to challenge this in the courts. I hope someone does, and that, even though I, as a resident will be negatively impacted by the money spent on this, it will cost the cities and county a bundle. Will it be you, Robert Curtis? If so, you have my support.