Letter: Sex Offender Awareness Needs to Improve

I just got a breaking news story media alert "Police Searching for Bank Robber" last month! It is frustrating to know a WANTED Sex Offender Level III (worst level), is missing from Harrington Hall is not going to be put into a breaking news story anywhere.  As a member of Keep Cranston Safe, which was created by Tricia Gilmore, I have worked along with many others to be vigilant on keeping the allowed number of Homeless SEX OFFENDERS ("S.O.") down at Harrington Hall. There is a HUGE problem with this situation of Sex Offender Notification which we continually work on. Why just a month ago there was a Level III WANTED Sex Offender who was listed at Harrington Hall housing in Cranston and YOU never heard about it! Shocking to many of you (but not me), we are not notified of these WANTED criminals. Yes, if it was a Bank Robber you would be sent an breaking news notification that this robber was on the loose. Amber Alert notification receives similar media attention (as it should). Did you know, you are not allowed to post on Facebook or make copies of the online picture posting OR replicate the Notification flyers?
 
The S.O. flyer Notification is not to increase fear in the community. It is the belief of law enforcement that an informed public is a SAFE PUBLIC." 1=low risk to offend; 2=moderate risk; 3=high risk to offend. "Not to be produced without the consent of the Cranston Police Department." - Does this mean I am not supposed to post and alert anyone that D. White, LEVEL III is WANTED and MISSING?? Further, it states "The information on this page is for notification ONLY. Placement of a subjects on this page does NOT indicate that subjects are wanted by police", why would that be said? It's contradictory? We don't have fliers like our sistering States do for easy printing and community notification. Why??? Under the Good Faith Immunity Law, I have always been able to copy and distribute these fliers, because this duplication is merely done as a community awareness notification - NOT as a vigilante group which some in the Parole Board would have you believe.
 
I will continue to practice and educate, for we are ALL within our First Amendment rights to share our concerns with our community and to protect our children and families from WANTED or known Predators within our community. Therefore, I plan to alert anyone of these criminals. They left their victims with a life sentence, meanwhile they have a definitive amount of time they will serve and be free. That said, it's awareness that keeps us all safe.
 
The Public Notification under the Adam Walsh Act (SORNA) talks about giving Fact Sheet to all organizations that are in a location or in close proximity to a location where an offender lives or is employed, attends school or university, or which an offender visits or is likely to visit." It is clear we don't meet this criteria of a Federal level such as SORNA. Do we give flyers to Libraries, Parks & Recreation to distribute and put up for coaches and parents to "be aware"?, Massachusetts allows you to PRINT A FLYER from their Sex Offender Registry and use for the purpose of community notification and safety. Why can't we in Rhode Island ?
 
Until they are incarcerated and found, S.O.'s should be listed on many sites for community awareness. There should be no Grey area in this issue to protect their rights which the ACLU would like us to continue to do.
 
Lastly, I hold no secrets about my passion to protect our future victims....as we all know, we can't all become survivors. You can make a difference and a safer Rhode Island by helping find areas in which we need to strengthen. I ask you to reach out to your US Senators on this complex issue.