10/01/2010
Police have played down fears a new law allowing parents to check up on people who have access to their children could lead to vigilante attacks or to paedophiles being publicly unmasked.
From today, police forces across the region will launch the controversial Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme, also known as Sarah's Law, which will allow parents to legally find out whether their children are in contact with criminals or paedophiles.
The law is a watered-down version of US laws where convicted paedophiles' addresses are made public.
- Not all those on the US registries are pedophiles!
Its implementation is the result of 10-year campaign by Sara Payne, whose daughter Sarah was killed by a convicted paedophile in 2000.
Police can already disclose information about registered sex offenders to people, including headteachers, employers and parents. But this is the first time members of the public can use a formal process to apply for information about people who come into contact with their children. The police forces in the West who are first in the queue to introduce the new law are Wiltshire, Dorset and Gloucestershire.
Gloucestershire and Dorset denied claims releasing such sensitive information could lead to witch hunts, while Wiltshire were not available for comment.
- Well, it could. Just look at the links above to see proof of this.
Dorset Police Detective Inspector Sarah Derbyshire said: "A specialist police officer from the Dorset Police public protection department will have a face-to-face meeting with all applicants of the disclosure scheme. The identity of the applicant will be verified along with their relationship with the child and disclosure will only be made to those people who are best placed to protect the particular child."
"Anyone providing false information in registering their interest or misusing any information disclosed, for example, by engaging in vigilantism, or the harassment of sexual offenders, would be subject to police action or civil proceedings."
"From a police service perspective, we have a duty of care to all members of the community and this clearly includes registered sex offenders and is something that we take very seriously."
Detective Chief Inspector Neil Kelly, of the Gloucestershire Public Protection Bureau, the man behind the implementation of the new law, said it would be a fantastic tool to protect children.
He said: "Members of the public might be able to request information about someone but they will only be given that information if we deem it necessary in their role."
"This is not a witch hunt. It doesn't mean anyone can find out whether people are registered sex offenders or make wild allegations about the person next door. It's an extra tool aimed at giving children the best possible protection."
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