OffenderWatch Simplifies Sex Offender Management in Overlapping Jurisdictions

While most locallaw enforcement agencies operate withinasinglejurisdiction,someoperate under much more complexarrangements. This can often create problems for agenciesmanaging registered sex offenders inoverlappingjurisdictions. ConsidertheTown ofQueen CreekArizona. Currently, Queen Creek is in the process of establishing its police department.Whilethe town of Queen Creekrests within Pima County, Arizona,the town has contracted withMaricopa County law enforcement in its stead. When an offender moves into a new county, they must immediately register with the receiving county’s law enforcement according to the terms of their sentencing. Although it is a straightforward process, this can be complicated when jurisdictions intersect, making it harder for both law enforcement and offenders to fulfill their legal obligations.Thankfully, both Maricopa and Pima Counties are partneredwithOffenderWatch. When an offender moved to Queen Creekearlierthis year,he had toreport toMaricopatobe registered withPima.But bothPima and Maricopa were able to instantly communicate with each other toensurethe appropriate registration.“The system messages keep me informed when [the offender] has complied with Maricopa County as required,” says Detective Amy Blackwell from Pima County Sheriff’s Office.OffenderWatchallows partnered agencies to maintain an extensive historical file on each registered offender, which can be updated,accessed, and discussed in real-time.Arizona is one of 21 statewideimplementationsofOffenderWatchthatenablescollaboration between agenciesandtrackingand sharing of recordsbetweenjurisdictions.Contact OffenderWatchto learn more abouthow agencies across the country are saving time and resources with the OffenderWatch Network.