Peabody Mayor Wants Bylaw In Response To Incident Involving Level 3 Sex Offenders

PEABODY (CBS) - City officials in Peabody are working on a bylaw that would keep sex offenders away from certain places in the city.

The issue came to light after some parents complained that two level-three sex offenders were picking up cans and bottles at Cy Tenney Park.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Bernice Corpuz reports

Police were called to the scene, but told the parents they couldn't do anything to keep the men out.

"We do not have in the city of Peabody any type of ordinance pertaining to level 3 sex offenders," Mayor Bettencourt said.

Under current city rules, there's nothing in the books that prohibits any sex offender from living near or going to parks, schools, or libraries.

The mayor, who admitted he was unaware of that, says he's hoping to change that.

"We're looking at what other cities and towns have done," he told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Bernice Corpuz.

Mayor Bettencourt says he hopes to propose an ordinance for the city council to approve in a few weeks.

According to the state's sex offender registry, Peabody has 41 level-two sex offenders and 12 level-three sex offenders.