Disney steps up vigilance against sex predators

[wbk]

Beth Kassab
Business Columnist
Orlando Sentinel


This is news that Central Florida's largest employer could do without: In the past 16 months, 10 Walt Disney World employees have been charged with sex offenses involving children or teens.

The latest is theme-park worker Michael T. Bott Jr., 27, who was arrested on felony charges Friday after chatting online to set up a meeting for sex with a police officer posing as a 14-year-old girl, according to police.

For Disney, this is a PR horror story.


Like many companies, Disney conducts background checks with electronic fingerprints on all new hires and checks their references. Disney says it also runs employees' names through the sexual-offender database every year.

But there's no foolproof way to screen job candidates for their darkest and most disturbing secrets, and none of the crimes occurred on Disney property.

"We can't control what our cast members do in their personal time," Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez told me.

No one would expect an employer to be accountable for workers' off hours. Not only would that trample on privacy and civil rights, it's just plain impossible.

Still, when 10 arrests involving crimes on children occur among employees of the global leader in children's entertainment, the company has no choice but to take action.

That's why Disney, often held up as a model for employment and customer-service practices worldwide, now has the opportunity to turn itself into a leader when it comes to combating child-sex crimes.

Clearly, the company recognizes it has a problem.

In recent months, Disney has quietly reached out to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the FBI to help the agencies develop standards among Fortune 50 companies when it comes to dealing with these crimes, Suarez said.

And she said the company is increasing its internal security measures that monitor employees' Internet usage and other activity, though she said she couldn't go into detail for security reasons.

"This is not just our issue," Suarez said. "It's a communitywide issue. It's a social issue impacting the whole country."

No doubt, Disney is not alone.

A heightened awareness of sex crimes in Florida, highlighted by recent cases in which young children were killed, has led to stepped-up law enforcement and more arrests, especially among those who troll the Internet for victims.

John Finnigan, a labor and employment attorney in Maitland, says he has been called on more frequently in the past two to three years to advise companies in which sex offenders have been unearthed.

"Prior to that time, it was not an issue," Finnigan told me. "Florida is being aggressive with cyber sting operations."

For its part, Disney has fired or suspended all of those who have been arrested, including seven so far this year who were charged with felonies ranging from possession of child pornography to sexual battery involving a child, and three last year.

The number of arrests is small in the context of Disney's 60,000 employees.

"Overwhelmingly, the majority of our cast are law-abiding citizens who make magic for our guests every day," Suarez said.

But people entrust their children to the company on a daily basis and they deserve reassurance that the people they encounter there are trustworthy in return.

Disney is used to being on the world's stage, only now it's for a reason for which it certainly wouldn't mind giving up the spotlight.

 

[A_NY_Outlaw]

It's good to see WDW doing something about this. But I guess this makes me wonder, why now- hasn't WDW (as an employer) been carefully screening their applicants history)? Granted, I'm sure some cases may not have had any previous history, but this is just a scary thought- especially with all the children that go to Disney.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Disney does do background checks. And according to the article, "Disney says it also runs employees' names through the sexual-offender database every year."
One of the problems is these people did not have any previous history to show.

 

[raidermatt]

It's good to know Disney realizes they need to try to do more.

 

[fla4fun]

I don't know what more they can do. If the person has no prior criminal record - no arrests, no convictions, then they aren't going to show up in a database anywhere. Most of these criminals have unfortunately abused many, many victims before they are caught the first time. I hope Disney (and the other parks) continue to monitor the offender lists and continue to take swift action when a perpetrator is found.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

When I was hired by Disney being fingerprinted was a condition of employment, and they told me they would be doing a background check on me of both the National Crime Information Center and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

If there is no record in any system of my being convicted or even charged with being an Ax Murderer, is there any way for them to tell that I am not one? (Of course, I currently do not own an ax.)

Disney has over 60,000 full and part time employees at WDW, in addition to employees of the "operating partners" (such as the non-Disney-operated Resorts and the balloon sellers, as a couple of examples). WDW is actually the largest single-site employer in the US.

And, as it has been said, none of these people who have been arrested have had any prior criminal record. Actually, there is nothing that Disney can really do concerning what its employees do when off duty and not on Disney property.

I know my bosses are aware of some of my web activity, such as this site and eBay, but they don't know of any others I frequent. What I do on my own time using my own equipment and in my house is not any of their business. (BTW, does anyone know if there is a web site for retired Ax Murderers?)

 

[Uncleromulus]

Of course if you are arrested for what you do on your own time, they can certainly take action. But what you say is correct--Disney has no way (and probably no legal basis) to monitor what people do off property, or in their own homes, or on their own time.
Sounds like they are doing all they can.

 

[perdidochas]

It's good to see WDW doing something about this. But I guess this makes me wonder, why now- hasn't WDW (as an employer) been carefully screening their applicants history)? Granted, I'm sure some cases may not have had any previous history, but this is just a scary thought- especially with all the children that go to Disney.

I would imagine most have no previous history. Also, the problem is that pedophiles are attracted to jobs that put them in close proximity to children (like teaching, daycares, Disney, etc.). Until they are caught and convicted, no amount of record checking is going to stop them.

 

[G8RFAN]

Back in 1993, I interviewed for a former employer that required not only the background check and whiz quiz, but a two hour psych evaluation by a independent company. Granted, they could afford to do this as we were highly paid, highly trained individuals with access to sensitive and personal information. The funny thing was that it was not called a psych test, but a skills test. It was clear to everyone after taking the test what the intent was. I don't know the legal issues with such a test or if the collective labor agreement would allow/agree such testing at Disney. It does scream out to the ACLU if something like that were ever implemented....

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I was really worried when they finger-printed me.
2) I am not an ex-con or molester.
3) But, I was worried about the FBI finding me.
4) I am a two-time offender
. . . I pulled the "Do Not Remove" tab from my mattress
. . . I used phrases from football games with the permission of the NFL or NBC

 

[tink too]

This is something every parent is concerned about nowadays - which is a really sad but true fact. I'm an adult - I'm aware that Disney (or any other company for that matter) is limited to what they can do, but knowing that they do everything in their power to ensure the people they hire are not already convicted of crimes against children is reassuring.

As stated previously, these arrests have been each person's first offence (or at least the first time they've been caught) and unfortunately there is no way of telling that someone has these types of tendancies just by looking at them.

I guess the only thing we can do is ensure we all keep our own children with us at all times and report any strange or untoward behaviour we experience to ensure children do not suffer at the hands of these "people".