The Hollister Police Department will continue to register local sex offenders in person—with social distancing protocols in place—despite an executive order by Gov. Gavin Newsom allowing law enforcement to conduct such registration remotely.
“The Hollister Police Department is aware of the seriousness and the need to monitor convicted sex offenders in our community,” reads a May 18 press release from Hollister Police. “The department has a barrier in place at our front lobby that protects our staff. Our personnel are also trained to use masks, gloves and hand sanitizer when contacting the public or in the process of registering sex offenders, arson registrants or gang registrants. Therefore, despite the (governor’s) order, our department can and will continue to register sex offenders as before with no modification of our current process.”
As of May 7, under state executive order N-63-20, law enforcement agencies are encouraged to adopt telephonic, remote or other virtual procedures for registration and reporting under the Sex Offender Registration Act. Such procedures must be consistent with state and local public health guidance to reduce the spread of Covid-19 with social distancing.
Under the order, local agencies are also encouraged to post or publicize such procedures through means calculated to reach those subject to the act, police said. For the next 60 days, signatures, initials or photographs of registrants are no longer required in order to process their status.
However, Hollister Police will continue requiring this information from sex offenders.
Convicted sex offenders who live in the city limits of Hollister can call (831) 636-4330 to make an appointment before the deadline of their yearly registration update. Transient convicted sex offenders are required to register every 30 days.
