Enigmatic, Complex Problem? or, Is the Criminal Justice System Failing Here? or is This 'Nothing to See Here'--Move Along....?

What would you do if this was happening in your neighborhood?

One of the things I most enjoy about my job as a County Commissioner is the never ending series of complex issues that appear for us to consider and try to solve.

Some are easy.  Many are difficult.  There are those that are achievable and doable. Some are resource intensive and cost prohibitive.  Some have no easy solutions and fester.   Others, still, require close coordination with other offices.

And then there are ones like this..... (here is the abbreviated setup, below)

Several residents of one D1 subdivision have expressed concern over an individual apparently "living" in his truck on his own unimproved residential lot in this same subdivision.  He allegedly parks it every day at around 10:00 PM, sleeps in the truck, then he gets up and leaves during the day.  The location is not far from a park, and very close to a school bus stop.  

Now, that in and of itself may not sound too troubling.  And our county code enforcement supervisor has already informed me that there is no prohibition on an individual sleeping in an operable vehicle on a piece of property that is owned by such an individual.  So our code enforcement folks have no play in any part of this issue so far as I have now been told personally by our code enforcement supervisor and our county attorney.

But the issue gets much more complex than just a guy sleeping in his truck--it always does, right?........

This same individual (who I will not name here) has his name, picture, profile, and address listed on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's "Sexual Offender Registry" list.   And all the residents of the subdivision know this.  It was a big deal in the press and the neighborhood a few years back.

So I've been called upon by residents to solve it via code enforcement (which cannot be done, see above), and law enforcement has also been contacted.  I have reached out to Law Enforcement personally on this matter as well.

And according to law enforcement sources with whom I have now spoken that are aware of this situation particularly:

"We have made contact with this individual--it is his property, and he does not want to live there but nobody will rent to him and he has no place to go--so he is sleeping in his truck at night on his property until he can rent an apartment or house."  When I asked about the sexual offender FDLE posting, I was told "We made contact with his state probation officer who told us this individual has 'no restrictions' on where he can go---no restrictions"

Okay--here's a logical question one might ask:  If his probation has no stipluations regarding where he can lawfully go (schools, churches, playgrounds, etc.)----then why the hell is he on the sexual offender registry?1?  The two do not seem congruent.  Is it the scarlet letter, or is this guy getting a raw deal?  What is the story?!?

I asked the subdivision resident who initially contacted me  if by chance this association has HOA covenents that might precluded the man from living in his truck on the property daily as he's doing.  I'm told they do not have such covenants.

So this looks like one of those issues with no easy solutions.  Meanwhile--as always--parents need to be vigilant.  

Always.  

Always.