[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 54 (Thursday, April 28, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H2651-H2652]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     PUNTA GORDA POLICE DEPARTMENT STARTS ADOPT-AN-OFFENDER PROGRAM

  (Mr. FOLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, the news coming out of Florida is 
distressing, the brutal murders and abductions of young girls.
  Punta Gorda Police Department started a new program yesterday, Adopt-
An-Offender, where police officers are placed with sexual offenders in 
the new program.
  In a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Police Chief Chuck Rinehart 
commended all the officers of his department for 100 percent 
participation.

[[Page H2652]]

  After the recent murder, said the chief, of Jessica Lunsford, in 
Citrus County, the Punta Gorda Police Department decided they were 
unsatisfied with the way they were handling local sex offenders. The 
result was this program.
  He said, ``We will work hand-in-hand with our local probation and 
parole officers to ensure that offenders and predators are following 
the lines drawn for them. The bottom line to offenders and predators: 
Don't cross the line.''
  St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara and Under Sheriff Gary Wilson 
have had a similar program for some time.
  I commend both of these agencies for their proactive leadership and 
urge all cities and counties to follow their lead. It is time we get 
tough. We should not expect people to register. We should be pursuing 
them. We should be following them. If they break the law, they should 
be back in jail.

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