| For Immediate Release April 18, 2012 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami
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ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY APPLAUDS COSTA MESA FOR ADOPTING NEW LAW TO KEEP REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS OUT OF CITY PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS
SANTA ANA – The City of Costa Mesa enacted yesterday a law to create child safety zones to protect children from registered sex offenders in city parks and playgrounds after a first reading of the ordinance. Costa Mesa City Council voted unanimously to pass the ordinance yesterday, April 17, 2012. There will be a second reading of the Ordinance on May 1, 2012. The Ordinance becomes effective 30 days after the second reading. The City Council includes Mayor Eric Bever, Mayor pro tem Jim Righeimer, Council Members Wendy Leece, Stephen Mensinger, and Gary Monahan.
Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas and Orange County District Attorney’s Chief of Staff Susan Kang Schroeder were present at the City Council meeting to address public concerns and advocate for the passage of the ordinance.
“I am grateful to the Costa Mesa City Council for passing a law to help protect children from dangerous sexual predators,” said District Attorney Rackauckas. “Costa Mesa joins its bordering coastal cities in creating safe places for children to play.”
“I would like to thank District Attorney Rackauckas for championing this ordinance countywide, and I am pleased that we have taken this additional step to protect our children from sexual predators,” stated Mayor Bever. “The unanimous support of our citizen speakers and the City Council sends a strong message to those who prey upon children: Your despicable criminal behavior will not be tolerated in Costa Mesa.”
“It is very important to this council that we do whatever possible to protect our children from registered sex offenders. As a father, with three small girls at home, I am disturbed that the state of California did not close this loophole in the law,” stated Mayor pro tem Righeimer. “The people of Costa Mesa deeply appreciate District Attorney Tony Rackauckas’ efforts to keep sex offenders out of our neighborhood parks.”
“As a Councilman, High School Booster President, longtime Costa Mesa Pop Warner President, and father, I support fully the efforts of our District Attorney in expanding the County’s Sex Offender Park Exclusion ordinance by adopting the same within the City of Costa Mesa,” said Councilman Mensinger.
“As a mother of five and a grandmother, I know this bold step initiated by Mr. Rackauckas and now affirmed by our City Council, will protect many children, although we may never know how many,” stated Councilwoman Leece. “It’s taking a stand against molesters and telling them we will not tolerate their behavior. There are long term consequences for the harm they have caused.”