California Cops’ ‘Operation Boo’ Arrests Rarely Involve Sex Abuse

LOADING ERROR LOADING Every year on Halloween, law enforcement agencies throughout the country conduct thousands of random checks on people who are required to register as sex offenders. “Operation Boo Nabs Three Sex Offenders On Halloween,” the Redding Record Searchlight wrote in 2022. The overwhelming majority of arrest reports describe law enforcement officers arresting people for conduct that posed no threat to the community, including not being home by 5 p.m., missing registration deadlines, communicating with other registered sex offenders, possession of pornography or “sexually stimulating objects,” or “participating in Halloween activities.” Collectively, the arrest reports depict Operation Boo as an exercise in harassing people who appear to be minding their own business, under the guise of protecting children from the sensationalized threat of pedophiles who use Halloween as an opportunity to entrap unsuspecting kids. Here is a sample of the circumstances of arrests made last Halloween as a result of California’s Operation Boo, according to the arrest reports: Law enforcement officers checked on one man at 5:15 p.m., and he was not home. The parolee was arrested for “participating in Halloween activities.” The arrest report noted that the “residence front lights were also lite.” The week before Halloween, officers “made contact” with a man on parole and told him “not to be in the downtown area” due to Halloween-related activities for children.