This Halloween nearly every city is stepping up sex offender patrols.
Portsmouth is doing just the bare minimum to keep kids safe.
Carol Bradshaw is taking her eight grandkids trick or treating around their Portsmouth neighborhood on Saturday.
She says she wants to keep them safe from bad candy, speeding cars and most importantly sex offenders.
"We keep a tight watch on them...they are not out of our sight at all."
But NewsChannel 3 checked in with the Virginia Department of Corrections Probation and Parole Office and their records show that Portsmouth is the only locality in Hampton Roads choosing not to take part in either of two Halloween programs for sex offenders.
They're called Operation Trick No Treat and Operation Porch Lights Out.
Under them, sex offenders are either required to remain at home with their lights out and not answer the door for trick-or-treaters, or they are required to attend a mandatory meeting at a secure location while children are likely to be trick-or-treating.
Other cities including Norfolk, Newport News and Virginia Beach chose to take part, but why not Portsmouth?
A department of corrections spokesman says:
"None of our district offices are required to participate ... Portsmouth will continue to supervise offenders as they normally do ... No matter how well we monitor offenders, it is still a parents responsibility to monitor their child's activity whether it's Halloween or any other night of the week."
Portsmouth sheriff Bill Watson told NewsChannel 3 that his deputies will be out keeping a close eye on sex offenders this Halloween.
Portsmouth is doing just the bare minimum to keep kids safe.
Carol Bradshaw is taking her eight grandkids trick or treating around their Portsmouth neighborhood on Saturday.
She says she wants to keep them safe from bad candy, speeding cars and most importantly sex offenders.
"We keep a tight watch on them...they are not out of our sight at all."
But NewsChannel 3 checked in with the Virginia Department of Corrections Probation and Parole Office and their records show that Portsmouth is the only locality in Hampton Roads choosing not to take part in either of two Halloween programs for sex offenders.
They're called Operation Trick No Treat and Operation Porch Lights Out.
Under them, sex offenders are either required to remain at home with their lights out and not answer the door for trick-or-treaters, or they are required to attend a mandatory meeting at a secure location while children are likely to be trick-or-treating.
Other cities including Norfolk, Newport News and Virginia Beach chose to take part, but why not Portsmouth?
A department of corrections spokesman says:
"None of our district offices are required to participate ... Portsmouth will continue to supervise offenders as they normally do ... No matter how well we monitor offenders, it is still a parents responsibility to monitor their child's activity whether it's Halloween or any other night of the week."
Portsmouth sheriff Bill Watson told NewsChannel 3 that his deputies will be out keeping a close eye on sex offenders this Halloween.
