Sex offenders only 310 ft away from your kids?

Residents Concerned About Shawnee Sex Offender Center
POSTED: 10:48 am CDT April 22, 2008
UPDATED: 10:51 am CDT April 22, 2008

SHAWNEE, Okla. -- Residents in Shawnee are frustrated about plans to open a sex offender center, but city officials said they can't do anything about it.

VIDEO: Neighborhood Speaks Out Against Shawnee Center
Video: Residents Voice Concerns Over Center

One night per week, a building on Highland Street will soon open its doors to sex offenders. While the building is 310 feet away from Horace Mann Elementary school, 10 feet further than what state law requires, some parents told Eyewitness News 5 it's not far away enough.

"I am not against the rehabilitation part, but I think it needs to be in an area where there is not a residential area, where there is not kids," said Reggie Neal, whose mother-in-law lives in the area.

However, City Manager James Collard said the situation is out of his hands because the building owner is meeting all state and city laws.

A state representative attended a city meeting Monday night and said he plans to write a bill to keep sex offenders even farther from schools.

Concerned? No, these people are PISSED!