SPRING HILL, Fla. — A Tampa Bay sheriff's office is increasing efforts to track sex offenders and predators.
We first reported last year about the Hernando County Sheriff's Office's push for more resources to monitor the growing number of offenders living in the county.
HCSO recently added a second detective to solely focus on the county's sex offender registry.
Are there sex offenders in your neighborhood? Find out with this interactive map
According to Det. Tom Breedlove, there are 411 registered sex offenders and/or predators living in Hernando County.
"We’re trying to keep the intelligence level or the threat level that we might encounter to a minimum," said Det. Breedlove.
ABC Action News followed Det. Breedlove and a probation officer Wednesday conducting Halloween compliance checks. Offenders are not allowed to accept any children trick-or-treating, they are not allowed to have decorations in front of their home, the porch light must be turned off, and they have to abide by a 5 p.m. curfew.
"I felt a lot safer knowing that they’re coming out doing their checks," said Kendall Suter, of Spring Hill. "Making sure people are registered, doing what they’re supposed to, they’re not bothering anybody.”
