KEY LARGO -- Luis Melendi says background checks for county park employees shouldn't be just policy, it should be the law.

On March 26, 1994, convicted sex offender Butch Hinton was hired as a part-time park employee in a Georgia town where he abducted, raped and killed Melendi's oldest daughter, Shannon, an Emory University student. Her father has been on a mission ever since.

"Nothing can bring back Shannon," said Melendi, a Key Largo resident and business owner. "But I can help make governments aware of the need for a requirement to thoroughly screen the backgrounds of all new park employees. Miami-Dade County adopted the Shannon Melendi Act that mandates that screening."

Melendi, with the help of U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, persuaded Miami-Dade County Commissioner Javier Soto to introduce the ordinance, which subjects park personnel and volunteers to background checks and requires them to wear picture identification at all times while on county property.

Melendi says his effort last year to introduce such an ordinance in Monroe County was met with reluctance.

"A Dade commissioner took the ball and ran. Sylvia [Murphy] -- she's my commissioner here -- she didn't do anything," Melendi said.

Melendi said he was told that background checks are county policy, but he says that's not good enough.

Monroe County Commissioner George Neugent said he would like to learn more about Melendi's proposal.

"An ordinance is the strongest law we can pass," he said. "I wouldn't have a problem passing an ordinance that could protect our citizens."

Commissioner Kim Wigington said she spoke with Melendi while campaigning and remembers his daughter's story.

"You can't be too careful when you're dealing with people's safety, especially in public places such as county parks," she said.

sgibbs@keysnews.com