Police Xmas tree bears sex offender photos

NORTH BALTIMORE, Ohio, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- An Ohio police chief said photos of local sex offenders are adorning his department's Christmas tree as a way of identifying them to the public.

North Baltimore Police Chief Alan Baer said pictures of the eight registered sex offenders in the community of about 3,000 people adorn paper cutouts of stars and other shapes on the rotating artificial tree, The Findlay (Ohio) Courier reported Wednesday.

The top and bottom of the tree explain the decor, with ribbons reading: "North Baltimore sex offenders."

"I just wanted to raise awareness for the public," Baer said. "We have a lot of foot traffic that comes in and out of here. So I thought this would be a unique way to get their attention" about local sex offenders.