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Holden Police Department
Sex Offender Notification Policy
This
policy is effective August 2, 1999 and amends or
supersedes all previous policies on this subject.
1. POLICY
It is the policy of the Holden Police Department to
notify the community whenever a sex offender who is
required to register with the State Bureau of
Identification establishes a residence in the Town of
Holden. It is also the policy of the Holden Police
Department to notify the community whenever a person
resides in the Town of Holden is on probation with the
State Department of Corrections and has been classified
as a maximum or high risk sex offender.
2. PURPOSE
It is the purpose of this policy to provide local
officers with guidelines for properly notifying the
community. This policy also provides guidelines for
investigation prior to notification, and guidelines
concerning the type of information to be released.
3. INVESTIGATION PRIOR TO NOTIFICATION
Whenever the Town of Holden is notified by the State
Bureau of Identification or by the Penobscot County
Sheriffs Office with public information that a sex
offender who is required to register has established a
residence in the Town of Holden, the Police Chief shall
investigate to determine if the offender actually
resides at the address provided by the State. If the
offender does reside at the address provided by the
state then the notification procedures in Section 4
shall be followed. If the offender does not reside at
the residence provided by the State then the Police
Chief shall notify the State Bureau of Identification
and the Penobscot County Sheriffs Department. The Chief
shall attempt to determine where the offender has moved.
If the offender is located, the Chief will notify the
law enforcement agency having jurisdiction. If the
offender is found elsewhere in the Town of Holden, the
Chief will refer the information to the District
Attorney for prosecution and the notification procedures
in Section 4 will be followed.
When notified by the State Department of Corrections:
Whenever the Town of Holden is notified by the State
Department of Corrections with information that a person
who is on probation for a sex crime has established a
residence in the Town of Holden, the Police Chief shall
attempt to determine if the offender has been classified
as to their likelihood to commit a similar crime. If the
offender has been classified as a maximum risk or high
risk sex offender, and the victim had not attained the
age of sixteen at the time of the crime, then the Police
Chief shall investigate to determine if the offender
actually resides at the address provided by the State.
If the offender does reside at the address
Sex Offender Notification Policy
provided by the State then the notification procedures
in Section 4 shall be followed. If the offender does not
reside at the address provided by the State then the
Chief shall notify the State Department of Corrections
and the Penobscot County Sheriff's Office. The Police
Chief shall attempt to determine where the offender has
moved. If the offender is found to be living elsewhere
in the Town of Holden, the Chief will refer the
information to the State Department of Corrections and
the notification procedures in the Section 4 will be
followed.
Persons believed to be a convicted sex offender:
Whenever it comes to the attention of a member of the
Holden Police Department that a person who resides in
Holden may be a convicted sex offender, the Police Chief
shall be notified. The Chief will take reasonable steps
to determine if the person is a convicted sex offender.
If the person is a convicted sex offender then the Chief
will determine if the person is required to register
with the State Bureau of Identification or is on
probation with the State Department of Corrections. If
the person is required to register or is on probation
then the chief shall notify the proper State Agency of
the location of the person and shall refer the case to
the District Attorney for prosecution, if appropriate.
The Community will then be notified in accordance with
the provisions of Section 4.
4. NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE
The residents of the Town of Holden shall be notified
whenever a convicted sex offender subject to the
provisions of Section 3 of this policy establishes a
residence in this Town. The following forms of
notification will be used:
Neighborhood Notification - Each household which borders
the property of the residence of a convicted sex
offender shall be notified by printed notices delivered
by Holden Police Officers. If the convicted sex offender
lives in a multi-unit building with more than four
households, notification shall be limited to all
households in that building. If no one is at home, the
notices shall be left at the entrance to the household.
The notice shall include the name, physical description,
address of the sex offender, offense date, and
circumstances of the crime. A picture shall be include
if reasonably available.
School Department Notification - The printed notices
described above shall also be delivered to the Office of
the Superintendent of Schools for the Town of Holden.
Day Care Notification - The printed notices described
above shall also be delivered to the administrators of
registered day care centers in the Town of Holden.
Walk-In Notification - The Town of Holden shall maintain
a book containing information about each sex offender.
The information in this book shall include the name,
physical
Sex Offender Notification Policy
description, name of street on which the sex offender
resides, offense date, and type of crime. A picture of
the offender shall be included if reasonably available.
The notice shall contain a caution and whether the
offender is required to register or is on probation. Any
person who comes into the Town Office and requests
information about sex offenders in Holden will have
access to this book to view information. Copies of
information will be made available at the rates set by
the Town Manager for photocopying documents. This book
will be updated whenever new information is received as
outlined in Section 3 of this policy.
5. MANDATORY CAUTION FOR ALL METHODS OF NOTIFICATION.
All methods of notification shall contain the following
caution:
"The following information contains names of convicted
sex offenders who reside in the Town of Holden. This
information is provided to you because many sex
offenders will repeat their crime if potential victims
are unaware of the offenders previous criminal activity.
If you have children who are under 16 years of age, or
are responsible for children in the same age group, you
should be aware of these convicted offenders. Do not let
these offenders be with any children under the age of 16
years of age, unless there is a responsible adult
present who is aware of the nature of the convicted
offender's crime.
If you have information that one of the persons on this
list is engaged in criminal activity, or has moved,
please contact the Holden Police Department or Penobscot
County Sheriffs Department immediately.
The residents on this list have been convicted, and are
on probation or have served their sentences. Harassing,
threatening, or tormenting these residents in any way is
a violation of State Law. The Holden Police Department
will investigate any illegal activity against these
residents, and will refer those investigations to the
District Attorney for prosecution
Gene Worcester, Chief of Police
August 2, 1999
Approved by Board of Selectmen
August 2, 1999
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