Sunday, March 15, 2009 | On March 13th, a hearing was postponed regarding the placement of Matthew Hedge, a convicted violent sexual predator. We as a community are currently awaiting a decision as to which community this violent offender will be released into. As a candidate for City Council District 8, I have to express my outrage that yet another one of these monsters may be released into our community.
His offenses were heinous in nature and he represents a clear and present danger to this community. More importantly, all one has to do is visit the Megan’s Law website to see a pattern of where these offenders are being released. There is a huge concentration of these offenders in poor, minority communities. This pattern is especially disturbing considering that police resources in these areas are stretched thin as it is. The police agencies in these areas are already doing the best they can to stem the tides of gang violence and street crime that these areas are more prone to.
At a time when we as a city are losing good police officers to other agencies and budgets are being cut, this represents just another burden on these already strained agencies. I personally want to thank County Supervisor Greg Cox in his protest in this matter and pledge to do all I can to make sure this monster is not released upon the communities of District 8.