Operation Halloween: Eyewitness News Joins Parole Officers Making Checks On Sex Offenders
By: Rachel Polansky
Updated: October 31, 2012
And if you were worried about your little ones knocking on the doors of
registered sex offenders while trick-or-treating, there was no need.
Because officials say sex offenders were the under the close eye of the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Eyewitness News reporter Rachel Polansky joined parole officers as they visited with sex offenders in our area.
She rode along with 2 Utica parole officers as they made face-to-face visits with several Level-3 sex offenders, making sure they were following all the Operation Halloween guidelines.
"They have been told they have a special Halloween imposed curfew. That was from earlier today 2pm and they can't leave their house until tomorrow morning 6am," says Regina Orsaio, Utica parole officer.
Parole officer Orsaio says she will be making unannounced visits to her 25 parolees throughout the night.
"We're gonna knock, announce I'm there parole officer and make sure they're inside," says Orsaio.
"They're all home, there's nothing here, everything's good. No Halloween decorations up, didn't answer the doors until I called and ask him to do so, so we're all set," says Orsaio
In addition to the curfew, parolees cannot wear any costumes or masks, decorate their homes or open the door to trick-or-treaters.
"As it is a kids holiday and the kids like to enjoy themselves, we like to make sure that they're safe and the communities safe," says Lana Jolma, Utica senior parole officer.
"We're gonna go in and check some of his DVDs here and make sure these are all good," says Orsaio.
Parole officer Orsaio says she checks CDs and DVDs to make sure parolees are not in possession of anything inappropriate.
"This says its a tape of Meteors and you open it up and it is a tape of Meteors. Its not something in a disguised case," says Orsaio.
"So my guy here is in total compliance with his Halloween conditions," says Orsaio.
The agency's community supervision staff is responsible for nearly 600 sex offenders in the Central New York region, and nearly 25 hundred sex offenders on parole statewide.
During our ride-along, parole officer Orsaio visited 6 Level-3 sex offenders and all were in compliance with Operation Halloween guidelines.
Because officials say sex offenders were the under the close eye of the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Eyewitness News reporter Rachel Polansky joined parole officers as they visited with sex offenders in our area.
She rode along with 2 Utica parole officers as they made face-to-face visits with several Level-3 sex offenders, making sure they were following all the Operation Halloween guidelines.
"They have been told they have a special Halloween imposed curfew. That was from earlier today 2pm and they can't leave their house until tomorrow morning 6am," says Regina Orsaio, Utica parole officer.
Parole officer Orsaio says she will be making unannounced visits to her 25 parolees throughout the night.
"We're gonna knock, announce I'm there parole officer and make sure they're inside," says Orsaio.
"They're all home, there's nothing here, everything's good. No Halloween decorations up, didn't answer the doors until I called and ask him to do so, so we're all set," says Orsaio
In addition to the curfew, parolees cannot wear any costumes or masks, decorate their homes or open the door to trick-or-treaters.
"As it is a kids holiday and the kids like to enjoy themselves, we like to make sure that they're safe and the communities safe," says Lana Jolma, Utica senior parole officer.
"We're gonna go in and check some of his DVDs here and make sure these are all good," says Orsaio.
Parole officer Orsaio says she checks CDs and DVDs to make sure parolees are not in possession of anything inappropriate.
"This says its a tape of Meteors and you open it up and it is a tape of Meteors. Its not something in a disguised case," says Orsaio.
"So my guy here is in total compliance with his Halloween conditions," says Orsaio.
The agency's community supervision staff is responsible for nearly 600 sex offenders in the Central New York region, and nearly 25 hundred sex offenders on parole statewide.
During our ride-along, parole officer Orsaio visited 6 Level-3 sex offenders and all were in compliance with Operation Halloween guidelines.
