Capt. John Hirokawa of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department held a meeting with neighbors to address their concerns and provide information about Megan's Law.

The meeting on Jan. 31 at the Saratoga Senior Center included officers from the Sheriff's Office and from the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement Task Force. They spoke to a large crowd about the issue of sex offenders and the purpose of Megan's Law.

Members of the task force, including Sharron Pearson, a district attorney's office investigator, said there are 3,500 registered sex offenders in Santa Clara County. Eleven reside in Saratoga, along with three not listed on the Megan's Law website. Pearson said last year 220 people were arrested in the county for sexual offenses. Her task force recently arrested three first-time suspects: a school bus driver, a pre-school teacher and a caretaker of the mentally disabled.

Pearson said that the first thing parents should do to protect their children is keep communication lines open by telling their children what types of behavior are inappropriate, listening to their children and remaining vigilant for suspicious behavior.

Blue Hills Elementary School, Christa McAuliffe Elementary School and Kevin Moran Park are all within walking distance of the house in question. Children using the park and going to and from school regularly pass near it. When concerns were raised at the meeting about the two men living in an area where large numbers of children are present, Pearson said, "Once they have completed their probation or parole, they are free citizens to live wherever they want."

Hirokawa said the men were not under investigation and have not recently re-offended. The person who committed the more serious offense has not re-offended in 15 years, he said. "The people we worry about are the ones that are not registered. If they are going to re-offend, they'll re-offend outside their area. But we don't want to minimize the fact that he is a sexual registrant."

Hirokawa said a woman was arrested, but not charged, after distributing fliers in a Cupertino neighborhood with information about a registered sex offender. According to the Megan's Law website, anyone who uses information found on the website "to commit a crime or harass an offender or his or her family is subject to criminal prosecution and civil liability."

"The purpose of Megan's Law is for individuals to educate themselves and make decisions," Hirokawa said.

Sandra Signore, who has two children, found out about the registered sex offenders in her neighborhood from the Megan's Law website. "We live on the same street," she said. "The meeting helped bring the issue out into the open." She said she has told her children to be careful, but said she was relieved to hear that the last offense committed by the neighbor in question was 15 years ago.

Another neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said he found out that registered sex offenders lived on his street a month after purchasing his home. "I would not have bought the house if I had known. It's a parent's worst nightmare." He said he has added more security to his home.

Jim Cardenas, a neighborhood resource officer, said he hoped the meeting would serve as a catalyst for the neighborhood to form a Neighborhood Watch program. He said anyone in Saratoga interested in forming such a group should call him at 408.868.1294.

Pearson said people with concerns about the safety of their children or with questions about Megan's Law could call the SAFE Task Force at 408.808.4300. But if someone were to see suspicious behavior, she urged them to call 911.

Pearson said although concern about sex offenses has been increasing, with Internet safety being of particular concern, her task force has been faced with a shrinking budget. "There's nothing more emotion- or passion-provoking than the safety of our children," she said.

The Megan's Law website is www.meganslaw.ca.gov.