From the Editor's Desk
Kids are always the victims
B.J. Davis

Since I don't have any children yet, I sometimes I feel as though I am talking out of turn when it comes to child predators and sex offenders. After the recent incident where a man approached a child at an area park and asked the child to come home with him, my opinion has changed.

Let's play devil's advocate: you are living in your home, one in which you may have lived all your life. You're settled; you know your neighbors and you definitely call this place "home." One day, while sitting in your home, a visitor rings the doorbell and introduces himself to you as the new neighbor - and a registered sex offender. Certainly this scenario would be uncomfortable for both parties.

I searched through the Santa Rosa Sheriff's Department website of registered sex offenders in my neighborhood and found several. To be perfectly honest, this doesn't necessarily bother me, but I'm uncertain if my next-door neighbors with the 4-year-old son know about the offenders. I'm beginning to find myself wondering if parents are truly aware of the potential dangers of these predators. If you are wondering whether or not your neighbor is a registered sex offender, you need to become informed. Check out the web p a g e http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/ offender/. The site also lists ways to determine what forms of protection are needed to ensure your children are safe. Maybe it's time to be a little paranoid. I know that my friends with children will tell you they have no problem profiling a strange individual looming about public parks or any suspicious behavior that would put their flesh and blood in danger.

At a community picnic a few months ago, I was chatting with a co-worker's middle school aged daughter. Since I've known her and her mother for nearly a year, I didn't think twice about holding a conversation with the precocious 11-year-old. Unbeknownst to me, I was being watched and listened to by a neighbor of the daughter. Later, the neighbor approached my co-worker and informed her of the conversation between her daughter and me. Naturally, my casual questions about her riding the bus raised some red flags with the neighbor. My intention was to get the inside scoop on bus overcrowding, but the neighbor, who was unaware of my current intent and our familiarity, did the right thing by addressing her mother. Though I was almost accused of predatory actions, it was proper precaution because the kids are always the biggest victims when the threat is real.

I applaud the efforts of a concerned neighbor and any extra eyes scanning the neighborhood to keep our children safe. When I do have children, I hope to have neighbors as concerned with my child's well being.