The Sex Offender Notification: Your Right to Know
On June 1, 1997, Wisconsin Act 440, entitled "Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Law", as well as Doe v. Miller, 405 F. 3d 700. 716. (8th Cir., 2005) became effective. This is Wisconsin's version of "Megan's Law", a law intended to help protect society by identifying convicted sex offenders and their placements within communities. This law applies to all persons who, on or after 12/25/1993 were sentenced, in an institutional setting, discharged, or on field supervision for certain sex crimes. The Department of Corrections has allowed local law enforcement the discretion to determine, on an individual basis, the need for community notification.
How Does the Town of Hartford Police Department Deal with Registered Sex Offenders in Our Community?
In Wisconsin, convicted sex offenders are registered with the Department of Corrections upon their release from prison. The Town of Hartford has enacted legislation (Chapter 9, Section 9.19 of the Code of Ordinances) that makes it a violation of Town ordinance for convicted sex offenders to live or be present in certain restricted areas of the Town. If a sex offender is found to be residing within one of the enumerated restricted areas, the Town Attorney's Office will initiate an action in Circuit Court to seek the subject’s removal. If a sex offender is found to have entered a designated "Child Safety Zone", as described by ordinance, they are subject to the issuance of a Municipal Citation.
Sex offenders have always lived in our communities; but it wasn't until passage of Act 440 that law enforcement was able to share this information with the community.
Some of the individuals listed are currently under the supervision of the Department of Corrections, while others are not. Those individuals who are under supervision are required to follow certain rules. Each released sex offender under supervision will have a specific set of rules that he/she must follow that is specifically tailored for that individual.
WARNING
It is not the intent of the Legislature that this information be used to injure, harass, or commit a criminal act against persons named in the registry, their families, or employers. Anyone who takes any criminal action against these registrants, including vandalism of property, verbal or written threats of harms or physical assault against these registrants, their families or employers will be arrested and prosecuted. Please understand that such abuse could potentially end law enforcement's ability to make these community notifications. We believe the only person who wins if community notification ends is the sex offender, since sex offenders derive their power or ability to victimize through secrecy. Our belief is that an informed community is a safer community.
DISCLAIMER
This information is updated regularly to ensure that the registry is as accurate and current as possible. However, you are cautioned that the information provided on this site can change quickly, and may not reflect the current residence, status, or other information regarding the registrant. Each registrant submits registry information, and sometimes the information provided is not accurate. Sometimes registrants fail to notify us about a change in residence, status, or other information. The Town of Hartford Police Department cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions produced by secondary dissemination of this information. If you believe that any of the information contained in the registry is inaccurate, please contact us.
