Residents miffed over location of sex offender trailers

Some Westhampton residents say they're furious with Suffolk County for temporarily housing sex offenders in trailers near their homes. Frank Walsh said he discovered a trailer within 100 yards of his

News 12 Staff

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Mar 23, 2007, 9:31 PM

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Updated 6,378 days ago

Some Westhampton residents say they're furious with Suffolk County for temporarily housing sex offenders in trailers near their homes.

Frank Walsh said he discovered a trailer within 100 yards of his neighborhood.

"I've got a 5-year-old son," he said. "I can't let him out of the house."

Walsh said Suffolk's Department of Social Services did not notify him convicted sex offenders were living in the area.

But DDS chief Greg Blass said the county follows the law.

By law, sex offenders must register with police for stays 10 days or longer. DSS said a sex offender stays in one of its trailers for about eight days.

"It won't be near any schools of facility the law requires they be away from," Blass said. Blass said trailers are put on county property in remote areas.

Nonetheless, Walsh and other residents were furious after they discovered a trailer such a short distance from their homes.

"I'm not against helping these people," Walsh said. "But why do it like this? Just jam it down a community's throat, no note, not notifying anyone."

DSS said safety measures are in place, including security officers who guard the trailers overnight. Related Information:National Sex Offender RegistryMapSexOffenders.comU.S. Department of Justice