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New Policy Bans Sex Offenders From Hurricane Shelters
July 7, 2005
10 News (Tampa Bay, FL)
By Preston Rudie
Tampa, Florida - In the past, if a hurricane threatened Howard Sluss' Tampa home he would have taken his family to one of the county's 50 emergency shelters. But as a convicted sex offender, Sluss will now have to find somewhere else to go. Hillsborough County has approved a new policy banning registered sex offenders and predators from using any of the county's hurricane shelters.
Sheriff David Gee, Hillsborough County:
"My advice (for sex offenders) is to make arrangements in advance and go somewhere else because I think it's going to be a problem."
Thursday, Howard Sluss and his wife Heather challenged the new policy at a town hall meeting hosted by the sheriff. The couple says the new policy puts their family, which includes 4 kids, at risk.
Heather Sluss, Howard's Wife:
"As a mother of 4, I understand completely the need to keep your children safe. But what happens to those youthful offenders in those situations who have families, where are they supposed to go?"
The county's new policy affects 12-hundred registered sex offenders and predators. Manatee county is considering a similar ban.
Preston Rudie, Tampa Bay's 10 News
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