(Rock Springs / Green River, Wyo. – March 20, 2018)    The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office is upgrading to a web-based neighborhood notification system providing regularly updated information on registered sex offender addresses, Sheriff Mike Lowell said Tuesday.
Wyoming law requires that notification be made to residents who live within 750 feet of a registered sex offender. Also required by law is notification to community organizations such as schools, churches, religious and youth organizations.
The Sheriff’s Office currently makes those notifications with paper flyers sent out via United States Mail, but, effective April 1, will upgrading instead to an electronic, web-based system via the Sweetwater County OffenderWatch portal on the Sheriff’s Office website at http://communitynotification.com/cap_main.php?office=55435 for the general public, and by direct email notification for community organizations, thereby reducing notification lag time and extending the range of notifications.
At the Sheriff’s Office website portal, citizens can click on the link “Click Here to Search for Offenders in Your Area ” and follow the instructions to check their neighborhood, as well as sign up to receive free email alerts.
Sex offenders as defined in statute must be in compliance with state law by registering with the state Division of Criminal Investigation through local Sheriff’s Offices. Offenders are photographed and fingerprinted and must also provide a range of information, including address, place of employment, and vehicle information. They must notify authorities if they move or change jobs. Offender’s photographs and other information are then posted on the DCI website at http://wysors.dci.wyo.gov/sor/ . The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office website provides a link to the state’s offender registration pages for Sweetwater County and the entire state.
Last week, Sweetwater County detectives, deputies, and United States Marshals conducted their latest sweep of registered sex offender compliance checks in Sweetwater County. 96 checks were made;Â 90 offenders were found to be compliant, but the Sheriff’s Office is submitting its reports for prosecution of three non-compliant offenders and the Marshals Service has opened federal cases against two more.
Lowell encourages citizens to visit the Sheriff’s Office website and sex offender registration portal. Schools, churches, youth groups, and other community organizations who wish to sign up for email notifications should contact Investigator Chelsie Tipton at [email protected] . For general questions, call the Sheriff’s Office at (307) 872-3864 or contact Investigator Tipton at her email address.
