On Thursday, July 11, authorities from Shawnee County,Kansas,conducted ahistoricsweep, resulting in the arrests ofeightoffenders, most of whomwere non-compliant with court-ordered requirements.With the help ofOffenderWatch’snationalnetworkof sex offender managementtools, over 50 law enforcement, parole and probation officers worked together toresearch over 200 registered sex offenders in Kansas. The operation was to check compliance with the Kansas Offender Registration Act identified and arrest violators of that act,ensureoffenders were complying with requirements of parole or probation, and arrest people wanted on outstanding warrants.Shawnee County Sheriff Brian C. Hill’s office and the U.S. Marshal’s Service co-directed the operation, and the multi-agency sweep involvedthe Topeka Police Department, Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office, Kansas Department of Corrections, Shawnee County Department of Corrections, U.S. Probation Office and 3rdJudicial District Court Services.Together they performed 233 compliance checks which resulted in eight arrests, six of whomwere registered sex offenders.During the sweep, they also removed three children in need of care from a household and gathered information that resulted in the sheriff’s office’s opening up three new investigations into offender registration violation cases.  SergeantAaron Riveraof Shawnee Countywho oversees the Sex Offender Registry unit said that OffenderWatch’s “search and export feature was very useful and saved us a bunch of time. It allowed us to share information amongst the various agencies.” Withoneclick, an offender record can be shared with the United States Marshals Servicefor immediate help in locating absconded offenders, Adam Walsh Act violation arrests, or performing compliance and enforcement operations.The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office had immediate access to the offenders’ comprehensive records and any previous agencies where the offender was registered. Without OffenderWatch, the combined agencies would have had to spend time contacting the registering agencies where the offenders previously lived, waiting on records and information to bemailed or faxed—a process that often results in days or weeks of time lost.Shawnee County immediately accessedand sharedthe offenders’ extensive historical records with their partnered agencies, saving significanttime. Thanks to the robust record system, the agencies already have the offenders’addresses, phone numbers and original conviction information documentedin an easy to read format.“Offender registration forms were very organized and easy to follow,” says Rivera. “Everyone, including those who had never seen them before, could easily follow and find out what they’re looking for.”With this information, they can ensure the offender remains compliant, or in the case of Shawnee County,beginthe processto obtain a warrant for non-compliancewith ease.Learn more about how OffenderWatch can help streamline your agency's offender registry.

In the past,deputies withthe PauldingCountyOhioSheriff’s Office walked neighborhoods, passing out flyers about registered sex offenders who had moved into the neighborhood. PCSO met itsstatutory requirement for community notificationsbut the task wasexpensive,time-consuming, and the process exposed the deputies to undue risk. However,amidthe globalCovid-19pandemic, PCSO was looking for a safer and healthier solution tothe deputieswalking the county door-to-door. PCSO turned to OffenderWatch, the nation’s leader in sex offender management, to provide a cost-effective, safe alternative to passing out flyers so theycouldadhere to social distancing guidelines.OffenderWatch’s Postcard Community Notificationprogram is a cost-effective solution for law enforcement agencies looking to update the community when a sex offender moves into a new neighborhood.For the cost of a first-class stamp,a registering agency can click to order, thenOffenderWatchwill print and mail postcardswithin 72 hoursand provide a delivery log to the agency.About 3 millionsex offender notificationpostcards were sent by OffenderWatchagencieslast year.Plus,OffenderWatchagencies automaticallysentover 17 millionemail updates to the community when registered offenders move into their neighborhood.“It’s not a good idea for deputies to be going door-to-door during this time of social distancing,” said Sheriff Landers.“OffenderWatch’semail, website, and postcardnotification optionsare a safer, faster, and cost-effective means of notifying the public ofregisteredsex offendermovements.”

You may have received a notice of a registered sex offender that moved close to where you live. Maybe you are concerned because your child walks to the school bus past the home of a registered sex offender. Many parents print the map of offenders in their neighborhood before their children trick-or-treat or sell candy door-to-door for school fundraisers. Maybe you have the OffenderWatch App on your child’s phone. Now how do you talk to your child about sex offenders? 

How do I Talk to My Kids About Sex Offenders?

Grade-schoolers can begin to understand that a person who appears nice can have hurtful intentions.

• Tell her that while most people care about children and would help them in any situation, a few people hurt children.
• Stress to her the importance of being cautious of people she doesn’t know.
• She should not walk or ride bikes in the neighborhood without adult supervision, or if old enough, she should only do so in the company of two or more friends.
• Say that a man who was in prison lives nearby.
• Use the notice to point this man out to your child and tell her to stay away from him.

Answering your Child’s Questions

Many children will accept your directions for steering clear of the person. Others will have questions. You’ll need to explain further because if you don’t, she’ll find someone else to ask. You want her to get his information from you.

Child: Why was he in prison?
Parent: He hurt a child.

Child: What did he do?
Parent: He touched the child inappropriately.

Child: Did he hit her?
Parent: No, he touched her private area, close to where she goes to the bathroom. That’s not okay, it’s a crime.

Child: Why did he do that?
Parent: Some things you won’t understand until you’re older, and this is one of them. I don’t completely understand it myself.

Further Precautions

Even after your explanation and warning, you might need to see that an adult escorts your child and her friends home from school and you may want to keep her from roaming the neighborhood on her bicycle. If approached by the man in question, tell your child to get away quickly. She should let you know what happened when she gets home or tell an adult nearby, or if she has a cell phone, she should call you. Here are some more basic safety skills.

• Teach your child to trust her feelings and say NO and run away from a situation that doesn’t feel right.
• There are some strangers that can assist her if she needs help – other parents with children, other children, police in uniform or store clerks in the mall.
• Teach her to dial 911.

What if my Child is Contacted by a Registered Sex Offender?

Do not confront the individual. Respect the offender’s rights as a citizen. If the behavior of the individual seems inappropriate, contact your local law enforcement and inform them of your suspicion. If your child received an email or text message, be sure to save it and take a screen shot of it. If you received an email or post card notice about an offender, contact the local agency listed on the notice. Or call your local Sheriff’s Office. Your local enforcement will investigate for you.

Without being connected to a national network of sex offender registries,somelaw enforcement agencieswho register sex offendersmay not be aware of registered offenders moving into their jurisdiction. However,OffenderWatchautomatesrelocationnotificationsand record sharingfor partners in its network—saving time and potentially saving future victims.This summer,whenaregisteredsex offender failed to appear for his 90-day check-inwithBernalilloSheriff’s Office,New Mexico, theinvestigatorturned to OffenderWatch.After pulling up the offender’s profile in OffenderWatch’srecords, the investigatorcalledthe offender and learned he had moved to Houston, Texaswithoutinformingeitherregisteringlaw enforcement agency. When theBernalilloinvestigator updated the offender’s address to Houston, OffenderWatchimmediatelyalertedthe Houston Police Department that the offender had moved to their jurisdiction.Without the relocation notification, the offender could have remained non-compliantand risk the safety of the Houston community.Houston PD had immediate access to theoffender’scomprehensive recordfrom Bernalilloand any previousagencies where the offender was registered.Without OffenderWatch, Houston PD would have had to spend time contacting the registering agency where the offender previously lived, waiting on his records and information to be mailed, faxed or sent—which can sometimes take weeks and cost money. Houston PDimmediatelyaccessedthe offender’s extensive historical record, saving significant data entry time. The departmentalready knowsthe offender’saddress, phone numbers andoriginal conviction information without spending hours on the phone with the out-of-state agency and out-of-state courthouse.With this informationHouston PD can ensure the offender remains compliant orbegin an investigationto obtain a warrantfor non-compliance.TheOffenderWatchNetworkhelps registering agenciessave time and money—by sendingautomaticrelocationalertsand sharing recordswhen offenders movebetweenjurisdictionsandtimeisof the essence.

What happens when a registered sex offender moves severaltimes in a year? Many agencies find it difficult to keep track of offenders moving in and out of their jurisdiction numerous times, especially when information about the offender is delayed from the previous agency. Over the years, aregistered offenderfrom Whatcom County, Washington,moved multiple times withincounty lines.Recently, the offenderleft the state and moved to the jurisdiction ofanother OffenderWatchNetwork agency inPayette County, Idaho.Since bothcounty’s law enforcementagencies are fully integrated in our extensive network, they easily shared theirdata fileson the offenderand notified the receiving county of the move toprevent the offenderfromslipping through the cracks.Upon each relocation,OffenderWatch-partnered agenciescaninstantly import anoffender’scomprehensivefilethatincludes the subject’s historical information, relevant photographs, importantdocuments,and investigative notesrelating to their conviction. By using thisnetwork of registries,theoffender’srecord follows theoffender, andboth agencies save a significant amount of timeand effortpotentially wasted on duplicated research and tracking.Whenever a registered offender moves to a new area, partnered agencies who utilizeOffenderWatch’sdatabase can instantly access the necessary files to prevent an offender from eluding hisor herstatutory requirementsand to keep their communities safe.

This past spring, Snohomish County, Washingtonlaw enforcementplacedan officer alert on a registeredLevel III sex offender withintheir OffenderWatchregistry.Offenders with this level of designation requireadditional monitoring due to the high risk of re-offending.According to police records,theLevel III offender was previously convicted in 1990 of two counts of attempting to molest a minor in Snohomish Countyand hassince been convicted six times for methamphetamine possession,indecent exposure, and a failure to re-register as a sex offender.OffenderWatchOffice alerts are a warning to partnered agencies that the offender in question is potentially unstable or dangerous and to use caution when engaging with them.King County is just south of Snohomish and has a population of over 2.2 million residents in and around Seattle.As a collaborating agency in the Offender Watch Network, King County observed theofficeralerton theoffender’s file.King County registrarsthenspreadthe word within their agencytobe aware of this offenderin the county next door.Through theOffenderWatchnetwork,agenciescanseamlesslycollaborateto protect theirstaff and the publicfrompotential threats.In addition to officer alerts, the network enables agencies to save countless hours as they track offender relocation, transfer records electronically, and collaborate on investigations and community safety programs.

New Orleans, June 28, 2020. The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate has identified 70 private, public, nonprofit and government entities as the top workplaces in the New Orleans area for 2020.The workplaces rose to the top in the newspaper’s annual Top Workplaces in New Orleans competition. The rankings of the companies will be announced at an awards ceremony to be held later this year.Through a partnership with the Philadelphia-based employee research and consulting firm Energage, employee surveys were conducted to assess outstanding workplaces. Any organization in the seven-parish metro area with 35 or more employees was eligible to compete.“During this challenging time, we are excited to highlight standout job providers,” said Sara Barnard, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. “This will be the sixth year New Orleans has observed elite companies in our community that have been named a Top Workplace and we are honored to join in the celebration.”The workplaces will also be recognized in stories in a special newspaper section to be printed and distributed later this year.

There are about 7,000 registered sex offenders living in Maryland, many of whom have been convicted of crimes against children. All law enforcement agencies in the state of Maryland recently implemented a new technical system called OffenderWatch that completely integrates every agency into a network of 15,000 users who oversee 600,000 registered sex offenders. In addition to the network, the software helps each user streamline processes to improve the state’s sex offender registry.By using the OffenderWatch network, Maryland agencies moved away from using separate, stand-alone data systems for managing sex offender information to collaborating with the nation’s leading sex offender registry network of enforcement agencies. Collaboration on a single offender record has been proven to be the single most efficient way of tracking offenders as they move from one jurisdiction to another. As a member of the OffenderWatch network, Maryland agencies have seamless, real-time communication on offender relocations and with access to the nationwide database of sex offender records, improving efficiency, timeliness, and accuracy of the sex offender registry is instantly realized.OffenderWatch is the nation's leading sex offender registration solution, with more than 15,000 users at law enforcement agencies in 50 states using the technology. Local, state and federal agencies use the network to monitor sex offenders, communicate with other registering agencies, immediately update the sex offender registry website, and notify the community within a radius of the offender’s address. With each edit of the offender record, the OffenderWatch system automatically updates the department's sex offender listings on the department’s website and sends email notifications to the public.“We believe it’s critical for law enforcement agencies to share important data for multiple reasons: better compliance, more effective investigations and ultimately safer cities and neighborhoods,” said Mike Cormaci, president and co-founder of OffenderWatch. “OffenderWatch makes sharing that data extremely easy, improving accuracy in the offender records and saving time in investigations when minutes and hours can mean the difference between life and death.”There are more than 900,000 registered sex offenders in the United States, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. However, agencies often use disparate systems for managing sex offenders. These systems can falter when offenders move from one agency to another jurisdiction, as the offender must notify the new agency by showing up at their office to register. This can be an opportunity for an offender to “fall through the cracks” of the registry. OffenderWatch prevents this by automatically notifying and sharing records with destination agencies within the network. All relevant data from sources and agencies is maintained in a single offender record, improving accuracy, offender accountability, and aiding in public safety.OffenderWatch also allows local Maryland agencies to easily send real-time alerts to the public when a registered sex offender moves into their neighborhood. The service is available at no cost to the public, and people can sign up to receive email or mail notifications associated with any address—at home, school, work, gym, daycare, a park, or more.OffenderWatch also helps enhance community safety, as a collaboration with 3,500 networked agencies improves and streamlines offender management and public awareness. Using OffenderWatch, Maryland can instantly share records any other registering agency in the OffenderWatch national network. Instead of spending hours researching each new offender and locating old court and registration documents, Maryland agencies instantly obtain the full historical record of the offender, packed with related documents and images. This information is vital as registry officers can collaborate with other agencies on child abductions and investigations of absconded offenders.OffenderWatch also connects the agency to improve collaboration with the U.S. Marshals, Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) teams and other investigators, all enhancing public safety. Additionally, residents will have access through the DPSCS website to search the full nationwide OffenderWatch network for information on offenders to get the information they need to help keep their families safe in their physical, as well as online.Sign up for free alerts when a registered sex offender moves into your neighborhood on the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services website: http://www.socem.info/.

This spring, a registered sex offender moved from Wayne County, Michigan, which is part of the OffenderWatch Network, to Manatee County, Florida, which has about 500,000 citizens. However, after alerting the Michigan agency that he was moving, the offender had not shown up at the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office six weeks later. MCSO launched an investigation to locate the offender.OffenderWatch staff observed the relocation to an agency outside of the network and reached out to MCSO to offer contact information, images, and investigative notes about the offender—information that would automatically be sent through OffenderWatch Network. The detective used the information found in the OffenderWatch record in the investigation of the offender.OffenderWatch helps agencies streamline processes and easily collaborate on a single offender record that follows the offender as he relocates, saving time and saving lives.

Encompassing the Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater metro areas, Pinellas County, Florida, is a major metropolitan area with a population of 1 million residents. Although OffenderWatch--the nation's leading sex offender management tool--is widely used in other Florida jurisdictions, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office uses a stand-alone system (outside of the OffenderWatch network) to monitor and track their sex offenders.Recently, while monitoring offenders who were moving from one address to another, OffenderWatch noted two sex offenders who were intending to relocate to the Pinellas County jurisdiction: one registered sex offender from Volusia County, Florida, and a second from Fulton County, Georgia.OffenderWatch Helps Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Find Missing OffendersWithin the OffenderWatch network, when an offender reports intent to relocate to another agency in the network, the new receiving agency is automatically alerted, and the full historical offender record is shared with the receiving agency. PCSO was not integrated to the OffenderWatch network, so they did not instantly receive information about these two new offenders moving to the county. As a courtesy, OffenderWatch personnel contacted PCSO to alert them of the reported moves. PCSO found that the offender from Georgia never reported to the PCSO office as required by statute. OffenderWatch personnel subsequently assisted PCSO in manually accessing information from the OffenderWatch historical record (including physical attributes, historical addresses, associates, investigative notes, etc.) on the Georgia offender to facilitate an absconded offender investigation and warrant.OffenderWatch partner agencies have full integration to our extensive network, and this case illustrates the value and efficiencies of that cooperation. Partnering with OffenderWatch and our seamless data-sharing platform prevents sex offenders from “slipping through the cracks” when moving across jurisdictions. If OffenderWatch personnel had not reached out to PCSO in this case, the sex offender may have been successful in eluding his statutory requirements.

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office sex offender registration office was determined a critical function and has remained staffed with its regular schedule during the Coronavirus pandemic and shutdowns. To reduce traffic in the office, the department has encouraged their registered sex offenders to use an online portal to report updates to certain types of information.“Our agency administrators and registration office personnel use OffenderWatch to manage our offenders,” said Cpl Jeremy Goldman of the office’s Special Victims Unit. “Deputies and detectives use OffenderWatch Mobile to view and perform address verifications on our offenders. This past week, we used OffenderWatch Mobile in an operation to verify the addresses of 188 offenders in a four-day period. Our agency website also contains the OffenderWatch search and information features.As a result of the operation, we’ve opened one criminal investigation and will be following up with a couple of offenders to better review compliance,” Goldman said.OffenderWatch Mobile is an easy-to-use app for accessing and updating offender records from a smart phone or tablet. Any changes made on the mobile app are immediately transferred to the “master” record historical log, eliminating clerical efforts and building a chronological case of door-to-door address verifications.Contact OffenderWatch to learn more about how Mobile can help your office.

Due to families spending more time at home and online, children are at an unprecedented risk of being exploited by sexual predators, and suspects may be more likely to coerce victims through sexploitation, according to the FBI.In a March 23 statement from the FBI, the investigative agency warned parents that “due to school closings as a result of COVID-19, children will potentially have an increased online presence and/or be in a position that puts them at an inadvertent risk.” Currently, virtual school conference calls across the country are facing harassment from “zoom-bombs” where individuals are entering meetings and exposing teachers and students to pornography.Here are some helpful tips on how to talk to your child about online predators:

1. Talk with kids about what is or isn’t appropriate contact on the internet.

Explain to a child that boundaries are necessary on the internet. Remind them that if they feel like they’re ever in an unsafe situation, reiterate that it is not their fault and you are always there to help them.

2. Monitor children’s behavior for common signs of online abuse.

If your child is experiencing an increase in nightmares, withdrawn behavior, angry outbursts, anxiety, depression, not wanting to be left alone with an individual or sexual knowledge, it could be a sign that they’re being harassed by a sexual predator.

3. Review all apps on their devices.

Talk to your child regularly about their favorite websites and apps. Review and approve games and apps before they are downloaded. Additionally, make sure privacy settings are set to the strictest level possible for online gaming systems and electronics.

4. If you see evidence of illicit material sent to your child, contact your law enforcement agency.

If you believe someone is a victim of child sexual exploitation, contact your local law enforcement agency and your local FBI field office. Submit a tip online attips.fbi.gov.

• Make sure to provide as much of the following as possible: name and/or username of the subject, email addresses, phone numbers, websites used by the suspect and all documentation of communication.

5. Download the OffenderWatch app.

To keep a child safer online, download the OffenderWatch Safe Virtual Neighborhood app to monitor unwanted communication from registered sex offenders. By signing up with Safe Virtual Neighborhood, parents are alerted if a registered sex offender engages their children through Snapchat, texts, phone calls or emails. Parents are also alerted if their child is near a sex offender’s home for an extended period of time.

Cloud computing and cloud-based solutionshavebecome increasingly popularfor law enforcement agencies. Should your agencyconsiderSoftware-as-a-Service(SaaS)?Many agenciescalculatethe total cost of ownership (TCO), not just the initial expense, when deciding between an on-premise or cloud-based software solution. TCOconsiders both direct and indirect costs associated with a purchase over the course of the full lifespan of the purchase.Your TCO calculation should include fixed indirect costs like administration and personnel costs,as well asrecurring indirect costssuch as subscription and maintenance fees.InperformingaTCO comparison between on-premise and cloud-basedsoftware,mostagenciessoon realize there is ahuge cost savingsincloud-based solutions for public safety agencies.

DIRECT CAPITAL EXPENSES 

Software License & Subscription 

Cloud-based SoftwareOn-Premise Systems

• Licensed as a “pay as you go” subscription.  
• Low initial set-up fee.  
• Recurring subscription payments. 

• Requires a large upfront purchase of a software license and annual maintenance fees. 

INDIRECT OPERATING EXPENSES 

System Hardware 

Cloud-based SoftwareOn-Premise Systems

• No physical hardware to purchase or maintain. 
• No storage or operational costs.  
• Server capacity, data compliance, and security are included. 

• Significant upfront costs for hardware purchases.
• Requires regular maintenance and other operational costs.  
• The agency is responsible for storing, securing, powering, and maintaining their system, and ensuring compliance with data storage requirements. 

Hardware and Software Installation 

Cloud-based SoftwareOn-Premise Systems

• Accessed from any internet-connected device.
• No need to install physical hardware. 

• Requires the purchase of hardware, associated equipment and related vendor professional services.  
• Agency must provide secure facilities with physical storage space, reliable power/AC systems, and redundant network access. 
• Software must be installed on-site directly on agency hardware. 

Software Upgrades & Updates 

Cloud-based SoftwareOn-Premise Systems

• Shorter, more frequent upgrade cycles.  
• No downtime during updates so your applications are available on a constant, reliable basis. 

• Software upgrades are usually expensive, irregularly timed, interrupt on-going work and are time-consuming to roll out.  
• Agencies often skip scheduled upgrades, leading to increased vulnerability to cyber-attack. 

Scalability 

Cloud-based SoftwareOn-Premise Systems

• Scalable and “Future-proof” to handle increasing demands of the agency.  
• Additional storage capacity is included in your subscription cost or available for an additional fee. 

• Systems hardware requires periodic upgrades to meet expanding demands for increased speed and storage capacity. 

Security 

Cloud-based SoftwareOn-Premise Systems

• Security updates and upgrades for systems are kept up to date. 
• CJIS facilities and Security certifications and protections are available.  

• All security measures are the responsibility of and must be performed entirely by the agency. 
• Keeping up to date with security checks is costly and time consuming for IT staff. 
• Security certifications and facility audits may be too expensive and time-consuming for individual agencies. 

CHOOSING A SAAS VENDOR 

Evaluate vendors based on their success in providing software services of similar size and function.Choosing an experiencedsoftware-as-a-serviceproviderhelps ensurethe success of your projectby lowering technical, cost, and schedule risks.The selected vendor should beattuned to the special needs oflaw enforcement agenciesandthe impact on public safety.A complete solution includesongoing user trainingto agency staffand support forsoftware functionalchanges as a result of changes to statutes and agency policies.

OFFENDERWATCH AS A SAAS SOLUTION 

TheOffenderWatchsex offender registryproducthas been provided as asoftware-as-a-service (SaaS)solutionfor law enforcementsince 2001.An annual subscription enablesagencies to adoptthe latesttechnologywhileminimizingoperating expenses.Our law enforcement partners enjoyed online maps before Google Mapswas available,andOffenderWatchpioneered email notifications from law enforcement to the public. Over 20 yearsOffenderWatchhas successfully scaled to support over 15,000 users from 3,400 law enforcement agencies in 38 states. TodayOffenderWatchis expanding internationally and introducing new smart phone apps and artificial intelligence technologies to our public safety partners.

Natural disasters like wildfires, hurricanes, flash floods, earthquakes and tornadoes can strike at any moment, anywhere. Communities that are predisposed to certain disasters should have a plan in place to help be prepared for “the big one.” For law enforcement, preparation not only means thinking about duties as first responders, but also considering how their agency will monitor and manage registered sex offenders in their jurisdiction.For Det. Jason Miller of the Butte County Sheriff’s Office in Oroville, CA, his preparation proved extremely useful during the tragic Camp Fire wildfire. In November 2018, a wildfire started in Butte County burning more than 150,000 acres of land over two weeks. The fires took the lives of at least 85 people and destroyed more than 18,000 buildings.Paradise, CA, was one town that was hit the hardest during the disaster. Once news of the fires hit, Det. Miller and the Sheriff’s Office sprung into action, immediately assisting the Paradise Police Department in its response. Det. Miller knew Paradise needed to contact registered sex offenders in and around the city.

“Using the OffenderWatch program, we track [sex offenders] better. We know where they’re at and they know that we’re coming to check on them,” Det. Miller said.

He and the other Sex Offender Registry team members check on all registered sex offenders in their counties at least once per year to ensure they are living at the same address and adhering to the law. “They know we’re always looking out,” he said.After the Camp Fire, Det. Miller used OffenderWatch to create geofences and locate all the “290s” (sex offenders registered in California) affected by the fire. Butte County is about 1,600 square miles, so they set up the county into zones to split up and tackle. It took about one week to account for all offenders. “Most offenders reached out to us to let us know where they were at. They realize that we’re serious about keeping tabs on them,” he said.Det. Miller shares these tips for law enforcement agencies when managing sex offenders during a natural disaster:

1. Reach out to surrounding agencies for help.
2. Cross reference lists from non-governmental organizations to check for your offenders. Have they checked into shelters? Are they on a Red Cross list? Have they signed up with FEMA? Do they have new phone number or address?
3. Segment your area into zones and use the geo-location feature to map. Set up the zones and geofencing so you have an idea of what offenders you’re looking for in that particular area.

WWL Radio[/caption]Newell talks to Mike Cormaci, President and co-founder of OffenderWatch, about what we can do to keep our kids safe from predators on the internet. Listen to the WWL radio broadcast. 

At the end of October 2019, the Lea County Sheriff’s Office in New Mexico decided to check that its registered sex offenders still lived at the addresses where they had registered. The office’s Sex Offender Registration and Tracking Unit prepped for “Operation Scat Cat,” checking and verifying addresses for 134 offenders in their jurisdiction.Vivian Martinez has been working at the Sheriff’s Office for 17 years and managing sex offenders for 8½ years.“OffenderWatch makes it really easy to organize the offenders in different parts of the county,” said Vivian Martinez of the Lea County Sheriff’s Office NM Sex Offender Registration and Tracking Unit. “We used OffenderWatch for mapping the sex offenders, doing searches on different towns in Lea County to find where they were located. The mapping systems is really helpful when you’re preparing for an operation.”Vivian Martinez has been using the OffenderWatch platform for years. “I was impressed by how OffenderWatch was able to add or remove from the system, so it was more user-friendly and easier to enter data,” she says. “Data entry is quick and easy if you have all the information you need.”During the operation, the office made two arrests (active outstanding warrant for failure to appear and failure to report a new address).

The OffenderWatch Network helped investigators in the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office, Florida, arrest a registered sex offender who was actively trying to reoffend and create child pornography. According to anarticle on WTXL-TV,Dwayne Creery, a registered sex offender, was “arrested in Wakulla County after deputies discovered he was using multiple Facebook accounts to look for juveniles to be actors in homemade pornographic videos.”“Without the assistance of OffenderWatch serving as an information hub, encouraging the collaboration of multiple state and federal agencies to track and apprehend this absconded sex offender, Dwayne Creery would not have been apprehended in such an efficient and timely manner,” said Detective Brett Surace of the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division.Here’s Det. Surace’s record of how their investigation led to Creery’s arrest:On September 10, 2018, the Wakulla County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office (SO) Criminal Investigations Division (CID) initiated a Failure to Register as a sexual offender investigation on a registered sex offender named Dwayne Creery.Creery had been a registered offender since October 1996 (Lewd and Lascivious act on a victim under the age of 16 and Lewd and Lascivious exhibitionism on a victim under the age of 16).On August 31, 2018, Dwayne Creery was arrested by the Wakulla County SO CID for sex offender violations. Dwayne Creery was incarcerated in the Wakulla County Jail from 8/31/2018 until 9/4/2018.Dwayne Creery failed to register with the Wakulla County SO upon his release from jail as required by Florida Statute (F.S.) 943.0435. Furthermore, Dwayne Creery failed to complete his biannual registration in November as required by F.S. 943.0435.A nationwide sexual offender search was conducted, and no current registration was gleaned on Creery in any other agency or municipality, except for:Last Reported Address – Out of StateBellevue, NE 68123-3758 Sarpy County Registration Received Date: 07/03/2018Type of Address: PermanentAlthough Nebraska noted it was his last address, Creery was out of state, and no longer registered in Nebraska.After searching the National Sex Offender Registration Database, our office found that Creery was not registered in any jurisdiction nationally.The Echart County (Nebraska) SO was contacted and advised Creery was not registered in their jurisdiction or state. The Echart County SO dispatched a deputy to Creery’s last reported address in their state, which was his mother’s residence, in an effort to verify Creery was not staying there. Creery’s mother advised she believed Creery to be somewhere in Florida, and the last time she heard from him was on October 16, 2018. The address in their jurisdiction was a temporary address for Creery, and it reflected Creery arriving on 7/8/2018 and leaving to return to Florida on 7/12/2018.The Wakulla County SO obtained an arrest warrant for Dwayne Creery charging him with Failure to Register pursuant to F.S. 943.0435.9.On 5/29/2019 the Wakulla County SO received the following message through OffenderWatch:From: [redacted]Agency: Gila County AZ Sh (5/29/2019)Creery, Dwayne Anthony DOB: 05/18/71 arrested and in custody Gila County Sheriff’s Office Globe for failure to register/false info to LE.Offender Dwayne Creery arrested in Payson AZ by Payson PD on 05/27/19 for failure to register being in Gila County for 10 days without notifying agency of his entering Gila County and parked at Home Depot. Charged with Failure to reg and false info to LE. Creery is currently incarcerated in the Gila County Jail, Globe facility 1100 South Street Globe AZ…PPD Case # 2019-5710.Contact was made with the Gila County (Arizona) SO only to learn Dwayne Creery had been released from their jail. Unfortunately, the arrest warrant issued in Wakulla County, only allowed for in-state extradition. Therefore, there was no hold or Creery, and no notification was made to the Wakulla County SO of his arrest.The extradition was subsequently amended and expanded to “Nationwide.”Upon a nationwide query of OffenderWatch, the following investigative note was gleaned:“Offender came in after being released from GCSO Jail. [Offender] will be homeless in empty lot 910 S Beeline Hwy and 201 W Main St Payson, AZ.”With the assistance of the United States Marshals Service, Dwayne Creery was arrested in Payson, AZ, on 06/08/19 @ 21:51 hrs., and booked into the Gila County Jail on a Florida Governor’s warrant. Payson PD 190006253/BK# 190600084.

OffenderWatch Safe Virtual Neighborhood was featured in a segment on "Fox & Friends" about technology and apps that help keep students safe. Click the image above to watch the video. Copyright Fox & Friends. Learn how you can use Safe Virtual Neighborhood to help protect your children from online predators and sex offenders.

Internet Safety Tips for Teens

Here are some things you can do to stay safe online.

• Be smart about what you post on the Web and what you say to others. The Web is a lot more public and permanent than it seems.
• Provocative and sexy names and pictures can draw attention from people you don't want in your life.
• Sexy pictures can get you into trouble with the law. If you are underage, they may be considered child pornography, a serious crime.
• Be careful what you download or look at, even for a laugh. Some of the images on the Internet are extreme, and you can’t “unsee” something.
• Going to sex chat rooms and other sex sites may connect you with people who can harass you in ways you don't anticipate.
• Free downloads and file-sharing can put pornography on your computer that you may not want and can be hard to get rid of. Any pornography that shows children or teens under 18 is illegal child pornography and can get you in big trouble.
• Adults who talk to you about sex online are committing a crime. So are adults who meet underage teens for sex. Some teens think it might be fun, harmless or romantic, but it means serious trouble for everyone. It’s best to report it.
• Don't play along with people on the Web who are acting badly, taking risks and being weird. Even if you think it's harmless and feel like you can handle it, it only encourages them and may endanger other young people.
• Report it when other people are acting weird and inappropriately or harassing you or others. It's less trouble just to log off, but these people may be dangerous. Save the communication. Contact the site management, your service provider, the NCMEC CyberTipline 1-800-843-5678, the FBI or your local police.
• Don't let friends influence your better judgment. If you are surfing with other kids, don't let them pressure you to do things you ordinarily wouldn't.
• Be careful if you ever go to meet someone you have gotten to know through the Internet. You may think you know them well, but they may fool you. Go with a friend. Tell your parents. Meet in a public place. Make sure you have your cell phone and an exit plan.
• Don’t harass others. People may retaliate in ways you don’t expect.
• You can overestimate your ability to handle things. It may feel like you are careful, savvy, aware of dangers, and able to manage the risks you take, but there are always unknowns. Don’t risk disasters.

Learn More: Crimes Against Children Research Center

What do I do if you feel threatened or in danger online?

Report it when other people are acting weird and inappropriately or harassing you or others online. It's less trouble just to log off, but these people may be dangerous. Save the communication. Speak with your parents, teacher, or other trusted adult. Contact the site management, your service provider, the NCMEC CyberTipline 1-800-843-5678, your local police, or dial 911.

Get alerts if a registered sex offender makes contact by email or text

OffenderWatch Safe Virtual Neighborhood is the only app that can alert parents of contact from registered sex offenders.

Fox News Kurt Knutsson shows you the best apps to help keep your students safe.

OffenderWatch SVN is one of the best apps to help keep your students safe. Kurt Knutsson of Fox News discusses OffenderWatch Safe Virtual Neighborhood App as one of the Kids safety apps to help parents, schools keep children safe.  Use the SVN app to see a map of sex offenders who live nearby and install the SVN App on your child's phone to follow their movement and see if there are registered sex offenders near your children. A Protect Plus subscription lets parents get an alert should a registered sex offender contact your child by email, phone, or text - or if your child lingers near a registered sex offenders home.  

Police agencies in Niagara County perform regular home checks for registered sex offenders. NiagaraSheriff.com has a list of sex offenders. All you have to do is search for your home address and you will find the offenders in your neighborhood.

There are about 578 registered sex offenders in Niagara County.

“People that have been convicted or found guilty of a crime of a heinous act against our most vulnerable individuals that are out there are children and they need to be protected,” said Joseph Flagler, Niagara County Sheriff's Office deputy.That’s why it’s helpful to know where the offenders live not just on Halloween when kids are trick-or-treating, but all the time. Years ago, sex offenders were listed in three-ring binders. Now thanks to an offender watch, you can find them in Niagara County through a quick internet search.“Progressive parents that know where they live in our community deal with them professionally, properly, do not harass the offender. It’s just knowledge that you know where they are,” said Flagler.NiagaraSheriff.com has a list of sex offenders. All you have to do is search for your home address and you will find the offenders in your neighborhood.Police agencies in Niagara County perform regular home checks for registered sex offenders, all under the jurisdiction of the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office.By Katherine Chloé Cahoon Niagara County

USA Today: St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne talks about the Safe Virtual Neighborhood App.

USA Today: St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne talks about the SVN app that will notify parents when a registered sexual offender contacts their child.[/caption]Mike Cormaci, far left, joins Sheriff Champaign at the press briefing covered by USA Today. The Safe Virtual Neighborhood app is installed on your child's phone and notifies parents should a registered contact their child.

The Leading Sex Offender Registry Network Provides Tips for Families to Keep Kids Safe

Sex offender registries play an important role in helping to keep children safe. Across the nation, sheriffs and other law enforcement agencies use the OffenderWatch software to effectively manage, track and communicate sex offender information across agencies and to the public.The OffenderWatch network connects most agencies nationwide in a collaborative environment to share and communicate real-time data on convicted sex offenders in the community. Publicly shared registry information is a critical tool for parents and the community to be aware of where sex offenders live and work in relation to bus stops, parks, schools, and other places where children may be present.Sheriff and police departments have checked and verified thousands of offenders’ home addresses, updated their websites and sent out hundreds of thousands of email notifications and post cards to the public outlining offender addresses changes. These agencies maintain real-time, verified offender data on their websites. On average, a typical state has over 50,000 changes and address modifications to the registry annually. Other indirect sources that purport to provide offender information cannot provide the same level of accuracy as the law enforcement agency itself. Now that kids are heading back to the classroom, parents are encouraged to check with their local sheriffs’ offices for the most comprehensive, complete and accurate information on sex offenders available, including photos and conviction information. Local agencies also send email notifications to the public about sex offender moves. Sign up with your sheriff or police department to receive automated updates via email when any offender moves into your geographic area. Follow these tips to become more informed about sex offenders in your neighborhood and learn how to talk to your children about the dangers of sexual abuse.

Tips for Safety from Registered Sex Offenders

• Trust Sex Offender Information Coming Directly from Law Enforcement – While there are many services online purporting to offer information on registered sex offenders, citizens should only trust information provided by their local sheriff’s office, police department or the state website. These agencies have the most up-to-date and accurate information available. Citizens can search for offenders, see a map of offenders near them, or directly submit a tip to law enforcement about an offender.
• Search for Offenders In Alabama: Alabama Law Enforcement Agency
• Search for Offenders in Louisiana: Louisiana State Police
• Search for Offenders in Ohio: Ohio Attorney General’s Office
• Sign Up to Receive Email Alerts When Offenders Move Into Your Neighborhood – Sign up to receive notifications from law enforcement when a registered sex offender moves into your neighborhood, near your work or other address. Get Email Alerts from Law Enforcement
• Show Your Child Photos of Sex Offenders In Your Neighborhood – If you have young children, consider showing them a photo of registered sex offenders in your neighborhood and talking to them about the dangers of abuse.
• Have a Conversation With Your Child – Talk to your child about threats from criminals. Avoid scary details. Speak in general terms using the using language that is honest and age appropriate. If your child could possibly have contact with a registered sex offender, show your child the sex offender's photo. Be calm and instruct your child to avoid contact with the person or being near the offender's residence or workplace. More info: Talking to Children About Sex Offenders

OffenderWatch was featured in the media when we presented a local Tulsa sergeant with our national award for excellence in sex offender registry management. Out of 15,000 law enforcement members across the country using OffenderWatch, we selected Sgt. Randy Chapman to receive an award for outstanding public safety.Watch the full story at KTUL-TV.

by Erin Christy, KTUL staff

Thursday, June 27th 2019

TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — “I’d like to thank the media for being here today”

It sounded like the start of a regularly scheduled news conference, just like many Sergeant Randy Chapman had attended many times.But after Sheriff Vic Regalado started talking about recognizing one of their deputies, and continued on about the sex offender registry, Chapman quickly realized he was attending a surprise conference in his honor.“When they mentioned my name, I thought it was a joke,” said Chapman. “I thought they were pulling a gag on me.”Chapman received national recognition for excellence in overseeing the sex offender registry for the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office.

The software company, “OffenderWatch,” gave the award.

Sheriff Regalado says Chapman revamped their system, and because Chapman entered more data than required, it helped them solve other criminal cases.“He has implemented policy that goes above and beyond what’s required by law,” said Regalado.To Sergeant Chapman, he says, he was just doing his job like everyone else.OffenderWatch is the largest sex offender registry in the United States and works with more than 3,000 law enforcement agencies. This particular award is given to one person a year.If you’d like to receive free notifications when a registered sex offender moves into your neighborhood, sign up here.

Jefferson County Sheriffs Office offenderwatch news[/caption]

By John Huddleston | June 13, 2019 at 10:14 PM CDT - Updated June 13 at 10:14 PM

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - It’s a tool that you can access anytime, anywhere. It’s called OffenderWatch. It’s a national network software program used by over 3,000 law enforcement agencies that shows you where sex offenders are located.

"Notify the public of where they are living, where they are working, and it’s a great tool for us to get the message out to the communities,” said Captain David Agee, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

You can access OffenderWatch through the Sheriff’s office website.

Once there, you can input your address and it will show you where any sex offenders are living within your neighborhood.

“People want information quick and fast and it gets there. It works for us,” said Agee.

Another tool is the ability to sign up for email alerts about when sex offenders move nearby.

The Sheriff’s office was recently recognized by OffenderWatch as one of the best in the nation for community awareness and for sending out over 375,000 emails to the community.

Watch the story at WBRC.com.