Sex Offenders Would Face More Restrictions Under Leander City Council Measure

The city of Leander is exploring making places like parks, public pools and day-cares safer for children.

During a council meeting in early November the city council discussed the zones, which would prohibit sex offenders from going near areas where children gather, reported Hill Country News.

Leander Police Chief, Greg Minton, spoke with the council members about the benefits of the zones.

“Everybody we have in the system is registering and doing what they’re supposed to do,” Minton told the council. “Right now they’re all accounted for. Whether they’re creeping around parks we don’t know. But it makes it more enforceable with a citation.”

Minton said that Cedar Park had already set up similar safety zones, which prompted city councilor Shanan Shepherd to say that Leander wouldn’t want to inherit sex offenders moving into the area.

The council discussed a 1,500-foot-zone and a 1,000-foot-zone, reported Hill County News. Many council members noted that a 1,500-foot-zone could end up having the negative effect of forcing sex offenders to live in the same area.

Minton said that although Leander is not currently facing a child safety issue the zones could help prevent any future problems.