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State lawmakers may decide the best way to track sex offenders is to surgically implant GPS trackers in their bodies. A bill is being introduced in the House of Representatives to study the cost and feasibility of such a program. It comes after several cases in which sex offenders disappeared after disabling or cutting off their GPS bracelets. In April 2008, the state thought it was keeping tabs on convicted rapist David Torrence using such a device. But, he cut it off in Snohomish County and was on the run for weeks before being caught in Arkansas. A WA lawmaker is suggesting having GPS devices surgically implanted in sex offenders. What do you think? Full story Rep. Al O’Brien, D-Mountlake Terrace, says he knows how to solve the problem. "We're going to put it someplace in them so he or she can't get it out,” said O’Brien, a retired Seattle Police sergeant. His legislation would implant GPS devices – like those used for the state’s toll roads – into the shoulders of the state’s most predatory sex offenders. More than 100 of those offenders are now monitored with bracelets. "That's not adequate because a GPS bracelet can be cut off,” said O’ Brien. "For every system we in the law and justice community devise, somebody will be working just as hard to defeat it,” said Don Pierce, head of the association that manages the state’s GPS tracking system. He hasn’t seen the details of the O’Brien’s proposal, but Pierce wonders if the implants would work better than the bracelets. "One of the things we want to make sure that we don’t do is something that feels good or looks good or causes the public to relax. But in fact, it doesn't do any of that at all,” said Pierce. Pierce expects civil liberties advocates to come to the Capitol to testify against the bill. Rep. O’Brien understands that. "I don't want to infringe on anyone's civil liberties. This is a very small population we're talking about. These people are dangerous. We know they're dangerous. We know they will re-offend if they're not contained,” said O’Brien. The study would be conducted by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. Their report would be due on Dec. 31. The proposal is listed under House Bill 1142.
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Uh Ohhh! Sex offenders may have GPS surgically implanted.
