The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office invited nearly 45 people on probation for a variety of sex-related offenses to spend Halloween evening at the ECSO — and their attendance was mandatory.

With thousands of children expected to be on the streets trick-or-treating, the ECSO continued its recent tradition of bringing in those on probation for such offenses to spend those trick-or-treating hours off the streets and under the watchful eye of deputies.

“We do it every year,” said ECSO spokesman Detective David Ehsanipoor. “It gives the parents peace of mind, and we’ve gotten real good feedback from the public. It protects everybody. We’ll probably continue to do it.”

Some of the probationers who are picked up for the evening are not considered having committed serious offenses. But those who have also don’t have the opportunity to commit another such offense if they are at the sheriff’s office on a night when the streets are teeming with children.

“It protects everybody,” Ehsanipoor said. “It offers the community protection.”

Ehsanipoor also said that every probationer who was supposed to come in did so.