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    Sheriff’s site tracks sex offenders

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September 4, 2008

Sheriff’s site tracks sex offenders

Jonathan Jackson

The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office has just implemented a new Web site feature that enables users to track sex offenders in their neighborhoods.

OffenderWatch launched last week as a live feature on the sheriff’s office Web site, allowing the public more information to help determine the location of offenders living near their homes.

The OffenderWatch program allows a user to enter his or her home address, then search a mileage radius to see how many sex offenders live in that area. The user can click an indicator point on a map of the radius and see a photo of the offender and information on the offender’s case disposition.

“For parents, it lets you know who is in your neighborhood,” Capt. Lynnette LaRocque said. “It also lets you know if there is movement in your area.”

Once a person registers as a sex offender, either after incarceration or following probation registration, their information is entered into OffenderWatch. Any time a sex offender moves to a new address, the information is updated by the sheriff’s office, usually by either Det. Lara Swicord or Det. Nick Goddard.

Goddard and LaRocque recently received training for the program. Goddard and Swicord also just returned from training regarding the Georgia law that places heavy restrictions on where sex offenders may live.

“In addition to the tracking, the site also offers safety tips for parents and parent resources,” Goddard said. “It’s pretty straightforward on how to use the site.”

Baldwin County Sheriff Bill Massee said the site is a very good program.

“I think it gives people a good local connection to let them know who is a sex offender,” Massee said. “I think it’s a good resource for our citizens.”

The program was secured and implemented through a FY 2008 Local Law Enforcement and Fire Services state grant secured by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office. OffenderWatch is currently used by more than 400 agencies in 31 states. Watch Systems, the parent company for OffenderWatch, cites the growing demand from the public and the high rate of offender recidivism as a point of interest in the program.

For more information on the program and to use the site, visit www.baldwinsheriff.com and click on the bright green banner to begin the process. A PowerPoint tutorial on the welcome page offers a demonstration on how to use the site.

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