Skip to main content

Sex Offender Registry

One of the reasons that people purchase alarm systems for their home is to keep their family safe.  Another way to keep the ones you love safe is to be aware of your surroundings.  For me, this includes a check of the Registered Sex Offenders in the neighborhood.  When we were searching for a home to purchase several years ago, a search of the registry showed that a sex offender lived in the house diagonally across the street from the home we were trying to purchase.  This did not stop us from putting in an offer.  However, it would certainly have made a difference in how we let our children play.  Our offer for that house was outbid by someone else so our search continued.  The neighborhood where we did finally purchase has three sex offenders, but none within a several block radius.
It is a natural thing for me--maybe it is the law enforcement background.  I think that it should become a standard practice though for all--especially those with children.  Please don't misunderstand my intentions though.  I do not wish for those that are registered to become outcasts.  If we had become neighbors of that man, I would have treated him with the same courtesy that I show to all my neighbors.  However, I would never have let him babysit my children.
Many states have online registries but there is a national registry as well.  So that this information is useful to more people, we will stick to the national registry hosted by the US Department of Justice.  If you go the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW), you can use the national directory by choosing the link "Search for Sex Offenders".   You must acknowledge  and agree to the terms of use and then enter the code shown on the next screen. When presented with the screen to enter the name to search for, click on the link for the Advanced Search option which will allow you to search by zip code.  Several zip codes may be entered by placing a comma between them (ex. 12345, 78910, 44455). Once completed, the list of offenders in those zip codes will be displayed. Clicking on the name of an offender will provide more information about that person.
Rather then using the main search option, I much prefer to use the link for the state where I live by choosing the link to "Public Registry Sites" on the main page of the NSOPW which lists all of the participating registries from across the country. Whatever way you choose to search, the information provided gives citizens the knowledge needed to protect themselves and their family members by taking the appropriate precautions.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

In Memory of...

I was fortunate enough to be able to travel to Washington DC during National Police Week .  While there, the Hubster ran the Police Week 5K and we visited the Law Enforcement Officers Memoria l.  The memorial is a sobering reminder that so many have given all in the pursuit of public safety.  Unfortunately, it was raining so the pictures aren't great, but the rain seemed fitting--almost as if angels were mourning with those gathered there.  The memorial itself is surrounded by a beautiful park setting with trees and seasonal flowers and is composed of two curved marble walls engraved with the names of the more than 19,000 officers who have died. Each of the memorial walls is flanked by a lion protecting its cubs and keeping silent vigil. Seal embedded in center of the memorial plaza It seems that every day a new name is added to the list that will be inscribed just before Police Week begins.  The park and memorial are beautiful and worth a stop if ...

Albemarle County Ordinance Update

A dministrators of false alarm units are often called on to present information to the local government officials.  In preparation for my debut briefing the Supervisors in my county, I visited Albemarle County last week for their  Board of Supervisors meeting .  The Albemarle County Police Department was before the board to present some updates to their false alarm ordinance so it was a good opportunity to witness public reaction.  The great thing about local government is that the public has the opportunity to participate.  Albemarle County and many other counties allow citizens to have their time to air their opinions simply by signing up before the meeting begins.  The number of people who sign up, determines how much time each speaker is given.  For this meeting, there were so many people signed up, that the time limit was reduced to two minutes each. The agenda for each meeting is generally posted in advance but the public commentary doe...

New Technology-QR Code

We are going to venture away from CryWolf® today to discuss other technology that can assist in the mission of reducing false alarms.  One emerging technology that can be harnessed by alarm units is the QR code. As an example, the QR code below includes the web address for this blog. A QR code is a form of bar code similar to a UPC code but with the ability to hold greater amounts of data. These codes were developed by an auto manufacturer in Japan to help them track parts.  Although the company holds the patent rights, they have chosen to not exercise those rights. This allows free use of the technology. QR codes may be formatted to hold all manner of information such as phone numbers, e-mail addresses, gps data, or a web address. QR codes can easily be added to business cards, brochures, and other printed materials.  Many Home Owner Associations in our area allow us a small space in their publications and QR codes are perfect for this space.  The codes can...