More Registered Sex Offenders in Minot | Video

Amy Fox | 2/12/2013

With more people moving to the Minot area for work, more sex offenders are registering at the Minot Police Department. But, what is the law in North Dakota when it comes to sex offenders moving into the area? The answer may surprise you.

“Our numbers, on a weekly basis, may be the total for which we handle the case load may be from 90. I haven’t seen it may be more than 105. But, it fluctuates,” said Minot Police Senior Officer Maggie Tygart.

When people move from out of state to Minot that means they’re required by law to register in North Dakota.

Tygart said, “They have three days to notify jurisdiction of when they are moving. So, if they’re moving to Minot, they need to notify the Minot Police Department of their address and where they are going to be working.”

In North Dakota, there are no state laws prohibiting where sex offenders can live or work, unless…

“They may have a condition or parole or court sentencing after they were convicted,” explains Tygart. “They may have a condition that limits their mobility, where they can go, certain activities, but it’s a case by case basis.”

As First Minot Property Manager Debbie Komrosky explains, there are many things she looks at when leasing apartments to tenants. “There is an application that we have that says whether they have been involved in drugs or they are a felon or they are a sex offender. If that’s marked, we look for that on the criminal background, also, to make sure both the two coincide together.”

To find out if offenders are living in your neighborhood, you can go to www.sexoffender.nd.gov. All you have to do is type in your location.

“With the shift commander, you can fill out a records request and you’re immediately given access to the lobby computer, which will list all of the offenders in their neighborhood that live within the city of Minot’s jurisdiction,” said Tygart.

If an offender doesn`t comply with the registration requirements, it is a Class C felony.

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