Legislator Scannell Insists on Tighter Controls for Sex Offenders

GPS Monitoring of Sex Offenders

Nassau County Legislator Joe Scannell (D-Baldwin) joined Legislator Dave Denenberg, Nassau County Director of the Department of Probation Gerald Cook and Susan Vinci, the supervisor of the Nassau County Department of Probation Sex Unit at a press conference on the steps of the Theodore Roosevelt executive and Legislative Building to announce a proposed amendment to the Sex Offender law.

The new proposed amendment would give the Probation Department the power to request that the court direct Level 3 sex offenders on probation be monitored by GPS surveillance devices. Additionally, all registered sex offenders will be prohibited from living 2,000 feet from the victim’s residence or workplace.

“It is vital to our children’s safety that we pass this protective measure,” Legislator Scannell said. “This new law will provide law enforcement essential added control over sex offenders.Icall upon my colleagues to move quickly to enact this bill before one more child suffers at the hands of these predators.”

Legislator Scannell led a discussion on the proposed amendment while chairing the Public Safety Committee meeting during the Sept. 21 meeting of the Nassau County Legislature. A mother of an 8-year-old who had been molested by a neighbor testified in favor of the amendment as did Bob O’Brien, an investigator for Parents For Megan’s Law, who spoke on behalf of Laura Ahearn, the executive director of the organization.   

Nassau County Legislator Joe Scannell (D-Baldwin), center, joined from left, Gerald Cook, Nassau County Director of the Department of Probation; Legislator Dave Denenberg; and Susan Vinci, Nassau County Department of Probation Sex Unit supervisor at a press conference announcing a proposed amendment to the Sex Offender Law to further protect the children of Nassau County. Legislator Scannell, while chairing the Public Safety Committee, led a discussion on the proposed amendment at the Sept. 21 session of the Nassau County Legislature.