PT Council raises concerns about sex offenders
According to the most recent information on the state’s Megan’s Law website, there are three registered sex offenders living in Peters Township and another nine who work in the township. All of the registered offenders are men.
And while there are state laws prohibiting certain registered sex offenders from being within a certain distance of schools and other areas where children may be found, the township does not have the authority to further restrict those individuals from locations such as the library or the township’s parks, solicitor William Johnson told members of council during a meeting Monday.
Peters Township Council asked Johnson to investigate if an ordinance could be enacted that included banning those registered as part of Megan’s Law from specified areas in the township.
In 2011, the state Supreme Court declared a similar ordinance in Allegheny County invalid because it pre-empted state laws, Johnson said.
Township police Chief Harry Fruecht told council that unless an offender is declared by the state to be a violent sexual predator or a delinquent sexual predator, the police department is prohibited from notifying neighbors or co-workers. He said there has never been a declared violent sexual predator or a delinquent sexual predator living or working in the township.
The chief said there are websites that township residents can visit to learn the name, address and type of crime of a registered sexual offender. However, Freucht said he cannot give out the identities unless the person was declared a violent sexual predator. The sites are www.pameganslaw.pa.us/entrypage.aspx and the independent www.familywatchdog.us. Township manager Michael Silvestri said the two sites would be posted on the township’s website.
Additionally, anyone may sign up through the websites to be notified if a sexual offender moves into a specific neighborhood, even through police are prohibited from giving out that information, Fruecht said.
“The township has no authority concerning sexual offenders,” Fruecht said.