Meeting will inform public of sex offender moving to Alexandria

A meeting to make the public aware of a "level 3" sex offender who is moving to Alexandria will take place Tuesday, July 24 at 5 p.m. at Alexandria City Hall.

The Alexandria Police Department issued a news release today about the community notification meeting, which is required under Minnesota law when a sexual offender or predator is released from prison or a secure treatment facility and law enforcement believes that releasing the information will benefit public safety and protection.

The offender is Timothy Knut Severud, 47. A "level 3" offender is considered at the highest level of risk for committing similar crimes. He is moving to the 500 block of 3rd Avenue West, according to the police department.

He is not wanted by the police at this time and he has served the sentence that was imposed on him.

The notification of his release is not intended to increase fear in the community, the police department emphasized. It is letting the public know because it believes that an informed public is a safer public.

The Alexandria Police Department, the supervising release agent, and the Minnesota Department of Corrections may not direct where the offender does or does not reside, nor can these agencies direct where he/she works or goes to school. The risk level of this offender has been determined based largely on his/her potential to re-offend based on his/her previous criminal behavior.

Convicted sexual and predatory offenders have always been released to live in communities. It wasn't until the passage of the Registration Act that law enforcement had an ability track the movement of these offenders after their initial release.

With the passage of the Community Notification Act, law enforcement may now share information about many of these offenders with the public.

Those who abuse the information to threaten, harass or intimidate a registered offender is unacceptable and such acts could be charged as a crime, according to the police department. Such abuses could potentially end the ability of law enforcement to provide these notifications.

Many of these offenders derive their power from the opportunity that secrecy provides, according to Alexandria Police Chief Rick Wyffels.

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