By Patty Guerra,
Stanislaus County residents have a new tool to help track sex offenders in their neighborhoods. Sheriff Adam Christianson said in a news release that his department has launched OffenderWatch, a website used by more than 5,000 law enforcement agencies, 45 of them in California.
Similar to the Megan’s law website, which is run by the state Department of Justice, residents can put in their addresses to search for sex offenders who live nearby. OffenderWatch also allows people to register their address for an email alert from the Sheriff’s Department should an offender move into the area.
Residents can enter as many addresses as they want at no cost, the department said in a news release, suggesting possibilities that include day care centers, schools and churches, in addition to homes.
“People have a right to know which offenders may be living near them, who potentially pose a threat to their families,” Christianson said in the news release. “We’re happy to be able to provide that information.”
Christianson later explained that OffenderWatch, which costs the department $2,700 per year, has broader capabilities than the state site.