Mamatiger
  •  Mamatiger
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  • Maintenance Supervisor Topic Starter
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 7:18:46 AM
Though I don't like the fact that carnival workers are singled out for background checks, at least it kept this one off the midway...

http://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cm...CMH-2008-07-21-0031.html 

County Background Check Policy Turns Up Sex Offender At County Fair

The summer season means local fairs and children's safety is top of mind. So how do parents know the fair workers who travel from city to city aren't sexual offenders?
The Union County prosecutor and sheriff's office fought to make it mandatory for carnival workers to get background checks, bringing to light a disturbing past for one of the workers with the ride company serving the county fair which began Sunday.
On July 10th the Marysville city council passed an emergency ordinance that required carnival companies working at the Union County fair to provide the names of their workers for criminal background checks.
When the Marysville police department conducted a background check of Kissel Brothers employees, 33 year old Robert lee Copes, a tier three sex offender out of Montgomery County, turned up.
“I really wanted to see this man and make sure everything matched. I showed him the picture on the electronic sex offender registration paper that I had. Asked him if that was his picture and he said it was,” said Marysville Chief of Police Floyd Golden.
State law forbids convicted sex offenders from living within a thousand feet of schools. The Union County fair grounds sit just inside that perimeter, therefore making it illegal for Copes to work on fair property.
Chief Golden tells NBC4, his department checked out all 40 Kissel Brothers employees. Besides Copes, the background checks turned up one employee with a felony larceny conviction and about five people with misdemeanor arrest warrants.
Jeannene Henault accompanies her 15 year old daughter, Lizzie to various county fairs as she shows her horse. She applauds the ordinance and is happy to learn it worked.
"She walks from one side of the fairgrounds to the other and I do work about that because you just don't know what's going to happen to your kids," expressed Henault.
NBC4 contacted a Kissel Brother's representative. Dwayne Macek told us Copes had just applied for a job. He says it the company’s policy to do background checks and not hire convicted sex offenders.
"I think it’s disturbing. I've got children. And I think that's the whole purpose of the law and I think its going to work and I think everybody has the right intention,” Macek said.
With the state fair set to begin on July 30th, NBC4 wanted to know what, if any background checks are done on workers, vendors and amusement ride employees.
Christina Leeds with the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair explained, "The fair hires approximately 900 seasonable personnel to help with fair activities that we host and that are our responsibility.”
Those employees hired by the state fair board...must pass a four step screening process. The Ohio State Patrol first conducts a wants and warrant check. That's followed by a check of the National Sex Offender Registry. Then, prospective fair workers must clear a search of the Franklin County Municipal Court records database. Finally, names are run through the Department of Rehabilitations and Corrections database.
But what about the hundreds of independent vendors that set up to sell their wares?
Leeds said hey leave background checks up to them. As for Amusement of America, the company that has provided the rides at the state fair for over 10 years, fair officials have no set policy in place that mandates they conduct them.
"What they will be doing this year is that they will be working with the Ohio State Patrol to do a check," stated Leeds.
A bill has been introduced in the state legislature that would require carnival companies to work with Sheriffs offices statewide to get background checks done.
House bill 246 remains in committee.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. --Mark Twain
Bowler Roller
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 8:00:43 AM
Quote:

quote:


Jeannene Henault accompanies her 15 year old daughter, Lizzie to various county fairs as she shows her horse. She applauds the ordinance and is happy to learn it worked



She loves it because she's not subjected to them, and feels superior to the show people who are.

If that guy is so dangerous that he can't even be trusted to work at a carnival, he should have been exectuted, or, at least, given a life sentence.
Every crowd has a silver lining - PT Barnum
gruelurks
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 8:22:12 AM
I believe that the purpose of the sex offender registry, while a good thing in theory, has been abused and misused for far to many people who don't deserve to be on there. Urination in a public parK? On the list. 18 year old high school student has sex with his 17 year old girlfriend? On the list. Reading a Playboy magazine within a 100 feet of a minor? On the list. Speaking dirty to your wife while having marital relations with the window open and a neighbor child in their back yard hears you? Both on the list!

Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of people who should be on there that present a danger to the public, but I venture a good 40% or so do not. For that minority, being on the list is as good as a social death sentence.
JimmyD
  •  JimmyD
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  • Ride Supervisor
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 8:25:57 AM
Well, according to the Kissel rep, the guy had just applied, he wasnt hired yet, so the law didnt really do anything for that. Kissel said he does his own backround check, so this time the state simply did it for him, so nothing new there.

I dislike the idea as well, since it is singling carnies out, and I resent having to prove that I am not a sex offender or convicted felon. As usual, it only takes a few to cause problems for the rest of us. Another example of states rights over individuals.

Jimmy D
James Dillman III
Dillman Family Rides Inc.
3genstrong
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 12:26:49 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by Bowler Roller

Quote:

quote:


Jeannene Henault accompanies her 15 year old daughter, Lizzie to various county fairs as she shows her horse. She applauds the ordinance and is happy to learn it worked



She loves it because she's not subjected to them, and feels superior to the show people who are.

If that guy is so dangerous that he can't even be trusted to work at a carnival, he should have been exectuted, or, at least, given a life sentence.

EXACTLY! It's not the fact that they do it, but the way they go about it. And the fact that the indies that are 20 feet away, the bands, and anybody else that has anything to do with a fair or festival DO NOT have to be checked! THAT'S where the beef is. It's discrimination any way you look at it. We should all start posting when pedofiles are found in police departments, churches, shcools, carnivals, etc. and see who has the worst track record. Only problem is, you know every time one's found at a carnival it'll be front page news. We might have to dig a little deeper to find the others.
Playing games for a living.
Benjibear
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 12:45:09 PM
It is front page news when certain people do it when they work around children. This is limited to carnivals but churches, schools, etc. Schools are usually a real big deal because people at least in PA need FBI clearance, PA state police background check, and PA child abuse clearance check. I even need to get that even to do engineering work at a school.

I agree it is discrimation. If they want to do background checks it should be all workers and employees. It shouldn't be just the carnival employees.

Part of me understands why these things need to be done, but the other part feels sad that this is the type of world we live in.
It is what you learn, after you know it all, that counts.
Odditycollector
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 1:10:08 PM
I agree that yes it is being used mainly on just carnival workers and not vendors. The other night on Craigslist in the Syracuse area someone was posting about the guy from Wheelock Rides that was arrested for Sex charges was back working for them and even took pics of him working around kids last week if true it is going to do nothing but make it harder for everybody. I have had to go through a few background check it does not bother me at all but that is what is happening all over the place.
Scott
  •  Scott
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  • Operations Foreman
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:45:21 PM
Here in Arkansas we've had two high school coaches busted for hooking up with 14 and 15 year old girls.

A couple of teachers for the same thing, and recently the associate pastor at a large church resigned and was arrested for molesting a 14 year old in the church...

I'm guessing since these guys can't find employment in their chosen profession they'll be looking to carnivals for a job [}:)]
Bowler Roller
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:31:09 PM
Carnies are not babysitters. There is no reason for us to be any more of a danger to them, than a cashier at the Sears, in the mall.


Every crowd has a silver lining - PT Barnum
Skywheelrider
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 5:30:59 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by Odditycollector

I agree that yes it is being used mainly on just carnival workers and not vendors. The other night on Craigslist in the Syracuse area someone was posting about the guy from Wheelock Rides that was arrested for Sex charges was back working for them and even took pics of him working around kids last week if true it is going to do nothing but make it harder for everybody. I have had to go through a few background check it does not bother me at all but that is what is happening all over the place.

I could probably give you one guess as to who that was that was posting. A few others here and with Wheelock would know who it is....
"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." -- Mark Twain
3genstrong
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 6:27:42 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by Benjibear

It is front page news when certain people do it when they work around children. This is limited to carnivals but churches, schools, etc. Schools are usually a real big deal because people at least in PA need FBI clearance, PA state police background check, and PA child abuse clearance check. I even need to get that even to do engineering work at a school.

I agree it is discrimation. If they want to do background checks it should be all workers and employees. It shouldn't be just the carnival employees.

Part of me understands why these things need to be done, but the other part feels sad that this is the type of world we live in.

I'll bet when you or any of the others who went through the checks to work at a school weren't cursed at or spoken to in a manner that is usually reserved for those who have already committed the crime!? If these "authority figures" were so concerned about the wellfare of children they would check EVERYONE involved with the events. The fact that they are satisfied with just checking the carnival, which usually only makes up for 1/2 or less of the people involved in a fair or festival, is just rediculous!
Playing games for a living.
with-it
  •  with-it
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  • Operations Foreman
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 9:05:28 PM
Marysville is one of the few Fairs in Ohio that sells Beer now.....Is there gonna be a DUI checkpoint for when the locals leave?
Benjibear
Thursday, July 24, 2008 2:22:33 AM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by Bowler Roller

Carnies are not babysitters. There is no reason for us to be any more of a danger to them, than a cashier at the Sears, in the mall.





Hmmm, I remeber some spots that I felt like a babysitter. Kids hung around, no parents in sight, and the kids ran out of money too. I felt like I was babysitting.

I think they probably should check everyone at an event if they want to make it fair and the safest for kids. I think the carneys are targeted because they are out of towners. But what about people on the independant midways? They could be just as likely to be a sex offender. I do think local stands are less likely but there is still a possibility so they should probably be checked too? Are the fair board checked? What about security, they would probably have an easy time if they wanted to do something.

It is a sad world we live in. The thing I keep wondering is, did this stuff happen in the past since the beginning of time and it wasn't talked about or has it really increased. Just something to think about.


It is what you learn, after you know it all, that counts.
Bowler Roller
Thursday, July 24, 2008 7:51:47 AM
Any parent who uses a midway as a day care center, deserves what they get.
Every crowd has a silver lining - PT Barnum
Benjibear
Thursday, July 24, 2008 8:08:41 AM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by Bowler Roller

Any parent who uses a midway as a day care center, deserves what they get.



The parents desrve what they get, but the kids can't help that there parents are *******s. My wife and I see it all the time. Parents that don't give a s*** about there kids. It isn't fair that children are subject to that type of life.

I just found your comment insensitive. I hope your comment isn't saying that the children deserve it because nobody deserves to be sexually abused.
It is what you learn, after you know it all, that counts.