BREMERTON — The Bremerton Police Department issued a notice that a Level 3 sex offender has moved to the 800 block of Sixth Street in Bremerton.

Leslie P. Rhoads, Jr., is a 57-year-old white man, about 5-feet-11-inches and 200 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes.

In 2001 in Kitsap County, Rhoads was convicted of child molestation in the first degree and child molestation in the second degree. He has since served his sentence.

A Level 3 status means there is the potential to re-offend.

The Bremerton Police Department reminds it has no legal authority to direct where a sex offender may or may not live. Unless court-ordered restrictions exist, offenders are constitutionally free to live wherever they choose.

BPD issues public notices to the community, as dictated by the Community Protection Act of 1990. Before the act was put into effect, police departments didn’t have a record of where offenders lived. The department has issued a directive that using this information to threaten, intimidate or harass registered sex offenders is not tolerated.

“Such abuse could potentially end law enforcement’s ability to do community notifications,” BPD’s press release states. “We believe the only person who wins if community notification ends is the sex offender, since sex offenders derive their power through secrecy.”

If interested in setting up a community watch, the police department’s Community Resource Unit is available to help with that and provide useful information on personal safety. The unit can be reached at 360-473-5231. Anyone with information regarding current criminal activity is encouraged to contact the Bremerton Police Department.

For more information, contact the unit at 360-473-5231 or the warrants division at 360-473-5374.