Town Will Round Up All Paedophiles On Halloween To Keep Kids Safe

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A town in America is planning to round up all the paedophiles in the area on Halloween in order to keep children safe. 

As children prepare their costumes and plot their trick or treating routes for the upcoming festivities of Halloween, officials in Grovetown, Georgia, are creating plans to make the night is safe as possible through one controversial method.

The town, which has a population of around 14,000, reportedly has around 25-30 paedophiles who are currently out on probation. In order to prevent any unaware trick or treaters crossing paths with them, officials have decided to gather them to spend the evening in City Hall.

The offenders will be supervised by a group of police officers in the building from 6pm-9pm, after which they’ll be allowed to return home, under the assumption most young children celebrating the holiday will have finished trick or treating by then.

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Grovetown’s Mayor, Gary E. Jones, shared the plans on Facebook, writing:

In order to ensure the safety of our children, all sex offenders (on Probation) in the City of Grovetown (area) will be housed in the Council Chambers on Halloween night from 6pm-9pm.

There are approx. 25-30 offenders and they will be overseen by the GA Dept. of Community Supervision District 10 (4 officers) and accompanied by one Grovetown Officer.

The post left some of the mayor’s followers confused as to whether he would be personally going door-to-door on the hunt for sex offenders, as well as whether the entire situation was actually legal.

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The mayor quickly cleared up the confusion in another post, writing:

Friends I am not personally going to pick up, round up, call or going to any sex offender’s home. This is a joint effort with GA Community Probation Services.

They are the one’s with the authority under Special Conditions to require that offenders report. The reporting location is Grovetown City Hall. This is legal….. good grief!

The announcement was met with mixed views from commenters, with some understanding the reasoning behind the decision, while others thought it seemed unfair.

One pleased parent responded:

Thank you sir! I have 4 kids that will be trick or treating and it makes me and my family feel better that we live in a place that really looks after us and our little ones!

But another commenter argued:

Wow…You know, I think that this is terrible..I am absolutely against any kind of sex abuse to children or anyone, but these “offenders” have paid their debt to society..I pray they are walking as they should, but to place them in a building as a criminal is wrong.

They were already judged, found guilty..Let them stay at home, let them follow the rules of their punishment..And PARENTS , go with your children as they trick or treat-THAT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY..this is my opinion!!..I’m throwing no stones..I do not have that right.

A third added:

We live among these offenders daily. If you are concerned, should already have made yourself aware of the ones near you (or in this instance near where your kids will be visiting). How about just skip those houses, rather than keeping these individuals caged like animals?!

It’s certainly an unusual plan on behalf of the town’s officials.

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Emily Brown

Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.