Councilman Robert Holden has requested the removal of a level-three sex offender who is being sheltered at the Cooper Rapid Rehousing Center in Glendale.
In a letter penned to Department of Homeless Services (DHS) Commissioner Gary Jenkins on Dec. 14, Holden suggested moving the offender out of the shelter, operated by Westhab and located at 78-16 Cooper Ave., saying he is a danger to the community.
While the community is aware the shelter houses dangerous individuals, opening the residents to level three sex offenders adds a new, more dangerous dynamic, according to Holden.
“We know from the history of sex offenders that it’s hard to cure them,” Holden said.
In New York state, there are three levels of sex offenders divided by the risk of re-offense, meaning how likely it is that the sex offender will commit another sex-related crime. The court sets the sex offender level. The three levels are as follows:
