Cole County deputies plan to check sex offenders on Halloween

For those with young children celebrating Halloween — you have one less concern this holiday.

Cole County deputies are to perform their annual Halloween Offender Checks tomorrow night during trick-or-treating.

Sex offenders have special rules they have to follow on the night of Oct. 31. If the offender breaks any of the following laws, they could potentially be found guilty of a class A misdemeanor:

Must avoid Halloween-related contact with children Stay inside between 5 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., except in cases of work or medical emergency Post a sign outside telling people “No candy or treats at this residence” Leave all outdoor lights off after 5 p.m.

The Cole County deputies plan to travel around Jefferson City and Cole County tomorrow night to make sure all those restrictions are being followed and ensure a safe Halloween for all children participating.

This annual Halloween Offender Check works along with an ongoing Sheriff’s Department program to verify all registered sex offenders in the county to check on required information. They are required to do this every year.