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SOUTHBOROUGH, Mass. — The Southborough Police Department has conducted a review of it's sex offender policies and is in the process of making a number of changes, according to a statement released Friday by Selectmen Chairman John Rooney.
The review came in response to the discovery that a sex offender was living within 1,000 feet of a child care center, in violation of a bylaw passed in 2008.
Daniel J. Goichman, 50, of 29 East Main St., was arrested Sept. 30 and charged with possessing child pornography. A level 2 sex offender since 2002 and a Southborough resident since 2010, Goichman lived down the road from the Southborough Village Preschool at 14 East Main St.
According to Rooney, Lt. Sean James will now serve as the contact person with the Sex Offender Registry Board. He also will complete a formal policy "putting in place a systematic process for compliance with all state statutes, rules, regulations and our town's bylaws." That policy will include a list and map of all zones restricted to sex offenders living in town.
"Proactive interviews of registered sex offenders will become commonplace, not just at the time of their initial registration, but regularly thereafter," Rooney added.
Rooney also defended Officer Rick Mattioli, who processed Goichman's registration when he first came to town, saying that the incident was not an "individual failure," but rather a "process and policy failure."
"I can assure you that the police department’s commitment to the safety to the residents of town is, has always been, and fully remains, their number one priority, and their passion in performing those duties is unparalleled," Rooney wrote.
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