Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office to conduct Halloween compliance checks

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- The Buchanan County Sheriff's Office is gearing up for another year of Halloween compliance checks of all 307 registered sexual offenders in the county.

Residents may see increased law enforcement activity throughout the county with both marked and unmarked Sheriff's Office vehicles.

Approximately 40 members of the Sheriff's Office, as well as members from the St. Joseph Police Department and the United States Marshals Service, will assist in the compliance checks.

Missouri Statute 589.426 requires all sexual offenders to:

• Avoid all Halloween-related contact with children
• Remain inside their residence between 5 and 10:30 p.m., unless prior approval for employment or medical emergencies
• Leave all outside residential lighting off during the evening hours after 5 p.m.

Violations of the Halloween compliance statute are submitted to the Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney for consideration of criminal charges.