By Dylan Brown
Lewiston Tribune
LEWISTON, Idaho — Local parole and probation officers will work with Lewiston police tonight to check on registered sex offenders while trick-or-treaters are out for Halloween.
An officer from both the Lewiston Police Department and the Idaho Department of Correction District 2 Probation and Parole office will conduct compliance checks on local sex offenders currently on parole or probation from 5 tonight until 5 a.m. Friday.
Lewiston Police Lt. Michael Pedersen said the added checks will ensure that the approximately 50 sex offenders who are on probation and parole in the city limits are following rules previously outlined to them by their probation or parole officers. Those rules include turning off porch lights, not having Halloween decorations, and prohibitions on passing out candy or sitting on front porches or stairs.
There are about 120 sex offenders registered in Lewiston, though more than half of them are not on probation or parole and not subject to the checks.
The added enforcement is not in connection with any particular incident, and Pedersen said there hasn’t been a problem with registered sex offenders and trick-or-treaters on Halloween. He said the checks are an added safety precaution with so many children on the streets for the holiday.
Pedersen said it made sense when the probation and parole office brought them the idea.
“It’s just seeing if they’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing - living up to the rule,” he said.
Pedersen said the compliance checks are an extension of Lewiston police’s ongoing work with the Department of Correction on its Safe Community Offender Accountability Program. Under the program, police officers team up with probation and parole officers to keep better track of probationers and parolees. He said the added Halloween compliance checks are furthering those efforts.
“This is just another program we are using,” Pedersen said. “Reducing the ability (of sex offenders) to contact children.”
Pedersen said safety is always the main concern on Halloween and advised trick-or-treaters to stay in groups, wear reflective clothing and have parents stick with smaller children.
“Trick-or-treat in locations that you know,” Pedersen said.