St. Johns County residents got an official heads-up this week that the law is watching who moves into the neighborhood. On Monday, the Sheriff’s Office issued a public notice reminding residents that Florida law requires authorities to notify nearby households whenever a person classified as a sexual predator moves into the county or changes an address there. The agency said deputies assigned to its Sexual Predator Offender Tracking (SPOT) team keep tabs on registrants through regular checks and investigations, and that the notice included contact information for the SPOT unit along with a link to the state offender registry for verification.
What the sheriff's office posted
In a Facebook post the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office wrote, "PUBLIC NOTIFICATION: Florida Law requires SJSO to notify the community of the presence of a sexual PREDATOR, including address changes and relocations," according to St. Johns County Sheriff's Office. The message highlighted the sheriff’s Sexual Predator Offender Tracking initiative and said deputies and specialized detectives keep registrants under close supervision. A separate online resource from the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office describes SPOT duties that include address verification and neighborhood notifications.
How the state registry works
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement maintains an online Sexual Offenders and Predators registry and a toll-free hotline under state law, according to FDLE. FDLE’s site lists 1-888-FL-PREDATOR (1-888-357-7332) as the public line for information about predators and offenders in Florida. The state registry offers a neighborhood-search tool and options to sign up for automatic email alerts about moves near a chosen address.
What neighbors should do
Neighbors who suspect a registrant has not updated their information or who see suspicious activity should call 911 for emergencies and the sheriff’s non-emergency line at 904-824-8304 for concerns, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office. The department provided the SPOT contact email, [email protected], for questions about notifications and compliance. Residents can also search the FDLE database directly to check names or addresses and sign up for alerts.
Legal context
State law makes certain registry information public and authorizes FDLE and local agencies to disseminate non-exempt details, but FDLE cautions that registry records are not a substitute for positive identification and warns against using the data to facilitate criminal acts, according to guidance from FDLE. The FDLE pages also explain how to request corrections or additional information from the Offender Registry Services Bureau.
