That was no skeletal ghost you were seeing on Palm Coast Parkway around midday today, seemingly looking through binoculars. It was a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy gauging drivers’ speed as part of a traffic patrol unit deployed in town for Halloween.
Crime-fighting, murder investigations, drug and weapons stings and anti-domestic violence initiatives aside, Sheriff Rick Staly’s tenure has been a regular parade of deputies in costume, whether as leprechauns on St. Patrick’s Day, roadside laborers on Labor Day, Tommy gunslingers on the centennial anniversary of the agency, and today’s bleach-white skeleton, part of the speed enforcement detail at high crash locations. (The following sentence is provided with deep and sincere apologies for its potentially criminal pun: it is no skeletal crew. There are five deputies in the motor unit, four of them on motorcycles and one of them, well, skeletal: that’s the one holding up the equivalent of a radar gun in the picture above, though the laser device in use is more precise than a radar gun.)
The Halloween detail is focusing on speeding and aggressive driving on a day when drivers might be even more sugared up than usual. Patrol units, bicycle patrol, and C.O.P.S. will also have an increased presence on residential roadways where children are trick-or-treating.
Speaking of which, the Sheriff’s Office, along with Probation and Parole Services, are making visits to the homes of registered sex offenders to ensure they are following all rules and restrictions related to Halloween.
There are 105 registered sex offenders and predators living in Flagler County. Of those, 21 have specific sanctions forbidding them from handing out candy or leaving their porch light on during Halloween (the universal signal of Halloween-candy-dispensing homes). These limitations are designed to protect children from potential threats from sex offenders or predators.
Deputies and detectives are visiting the homes of all 21 registered sex offenders with these sanctions today.
“There are strict rules for sex offenders in order to make sure everyone stays safe,” Staly said. “Halloween is a fun holiday for children and families and we want to make it as safe as possible.”
Below is the list of the twenty-one offenders being visited today. The list was prepared and disseminated by the Sheriff’s Office. Included are the men’s photographs, names, and addresses.
The Sheriff’s Office urges parents and children to be aware of these addresses and to avoid visiting them this Halloween. You may also visit the Florida and National Sex Offender Database at http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/Search.jsp to check for sex offenders that may be living near you or neighborhoods that you plan to visit on Halloween.
