Posting #231 – What Do I Do When the Virginia Authorities Won’t Take My Registration Information?

Date:  06/05/2010

Dear Delegate James Morefield and Senator Phillip Puckett,

It has been brought to our attention that constituents in your district have been turned away by both the Richlands Virginia Police Department and Tazwell County Sheriff’s Office for Sex Offender re-registration. Local authorities should be equipped and able to take re-registration information. The law allows for reporting at any local police station. Instead your constituents have been directed to go to the closest Virginia State Police barracks.

You may think, OK that’s acceptable. It most certainly is not.

The Tazwell VSP Barracks is a much farther drive and the VSP has a sign posted on their front door. It states, Sex Offender Registrations & Re-registrations will ONLY be conducted on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 1 p.m. So, your locality only offers a mandated requirement that most offenders must repeat every 90 days at one time in the middle of the work day and it’s only available three days a week.

This is totally unacceptable.

Virginia State law gives the 16,000 Registered Sex Offenders 3 days (not business days) to update any address, phone or employment changes.

Virginia State law gives all 16,000 Registered Sex Offenders 30 minutes to update any e-mail or instant messenger addresses.

Failing to do so is a Class 6 Felony.

If the local police and sheriff’s office refuse to perform Sex Offender registrations and the closest VSP Barracks only has one time 3 days a week available for registrations, how can an offender comply with state law in your district?

We would hope Legislators, Local Authorities and the State Police want all registered offenders to comply with current state law, but if there are no locations open to accept registration information how can an offender comply?
They can not.

We trust you will look into this matter and work with local authorities or the Virginia State Police in order to ensure that they do there part to comply with the laws of this Commonwealth.

RSOL of Virginia