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State seeks GPS monitors for sex offenders

Two Wisconsin legislators announced their plan Tuesday to use Global Positioning System technologies to monitor sex offenders that reside in the state.

State Reps. Scott Suder, R-Abbotsford, and Joel Kleefisch, R-Oconomowoc, revealed a bill, dubbed "Project KidSafe," which would require all first-degree and some second-degree sexual predators that target children to wear round-the-clock surveillance devices.

"Project KidSafe is our initiative to protect children and our communities from sexual predators," Suder said. "It will provide lifetime electronic monitoring of all sexually violent predators against children, and those certainly most likely to recommit crime."

Suder said the legislation will reduce crime rates in the state and ensure Wisconsin will not be a haven for pedophiles.

Though several states — including Florida, Missouri and Oklahoma — have this type of legislation, Global Positioning System technology has only been used to track some Wisconsin criminals strictly on a volunteer basis.

"Wisconsin is one of the few states that have yet to fully employ GPS technology," Suder said. "Many states have, very successfully."

The legislation draws a restrictive parameter around "exclusion zones" where offenders are prohibited, such as schools, playgrounds, youth centers and previous victims' homes.

Also legislated are "inclusion zones" like work and parole meetings where the offenders are allowed.

The monitors will also alert police when offenders attempt to remove the devices, resulting in jail time or a fine.

"This GPS monitoring system gives authorities the tools to tell them where pedophiles are at any given time," Kleefisch said. "We know pedophiles repeat their crimes."

Because the tracking system can tell law-enforcement officials where the sex offenders have gone, they can better investigate crimes in the future.

Amie Zyla, a sexual-assault victim, spoke in support of Project KidSafe. A law, dubbed "Amie's Law," was drafted after Zyla's attacker assaulted other children after he was released from a juvenile-detention facility.

"We are here to protect and speak on behalf of victims across the state," Zyla said. "This bill makes me feel safe and we will know where our abusers are at all times."

Zyla's father, Mark Zyla, applauded Suder and Kleefisch's efforts to protect kids.

"This is by far the most effective legislation making its way around the country," Mark Zyla said. "This bill is going to protect your kids and mine."

Suder and Kleefisch said the monitoring system will cost the state about $4 million in its first year and will apply only to offenders who commit assaults on children after the bill is passed.

"As victims, we don't care how much this costs," Mark Zyla said. "We don't care about the inconveniences that it may put a pedophile or sex offender through — we want to put our kids first."

Representatives of three companies that supply GPS tracking devices to law-enforcement agencies throughout the nation talked about the advantages of using the systems.

"The reports that are coming out of Florida on the testing they have done for some period of time show a large reduction in rates of re-offense," said Tom Warton, CEO of SecureTrack Monitoring.

Both legislators donned the monitoring implements, which consist of an ankle bracelet and a transmitting device, to demonstrate their capabilities.

"Our point here today is if you are a sex offender and you committed crimes against children, we are going to make Wisconsin your worst nightmare," Suder said.