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Parenting Ages 0 through 24 |
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Washington
State
Internet Sex Offender
Database
Now Available to the Public
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OLYMPIA, Wash., Feb. 26 2004 -- The
Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC),
Washington State Senator Pam Roach (R-Auburn) and a group of
high-tech professionals named the "Megan's Law Group" today
announced the availability of a new statewide sex offender
Internet database intended to help the public better identify
the location of the State's most serious sex offenders. |
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Washington Law Enforce-ment and High-Technology
Community Deliver Internet Resource Designed to
Identify Location of State's Most Serious Sex
Offenders |
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Concerned citizens may now access this database at
http://ml.waspc.org/ to determine if a sex offender is
living in their neighborhood. While the database does not
provide the exact address of a sex offender, it does alert
residents to the number of sex offenders in a particular area
and the seriousness of their past offenses.
"Led by Senator Roach's effort to secure funding, the
legislature worked in conjunction with Megan's Law Group to
help us deliver a first-class sex offender Internet database
to protect citizens from potential sex predators," said Dave
Reichert, King County Sheriff, WASPC Executive Board Member
and President of the Washington State Sheriffs Association.
"We anticipate the web site will be used by tens of thousands
of concerned Washingtonians on a daily basis."
"Parents have a right to know the dangers that may lurk in
their neighborhoods," said state Sen. Pam Roach (R-Auburn),
sponsor of the Web site funding. "Communities are built around
protecting and teaching children. Knowledge and awareness are
the greatest tools we have to guard against sex predators."
In 2002, the Washington State Legislature passed a law
authorizing the development of statewide Internet database to
be built by WASPC. The database is designed to list all level
II and level III offenders considered the most dangerous and
likely to commit repeat offenses. Users of the database can
search the site by address or name. By entering an address,
all level II and III sex offenders living in the area will
appear on the computer screen. Users will see the offender's
photograph, address by 100 block and other relevant
information about the offender.
"This database is important because it allows people across
the state help maintain the safety of their children and
community against known sex offenders," said state Rep. Al
O'Brien (D-Mountlake Terrace).
As chairman of the House Criminal Justice and Corrections
Committee, Rep. O'Brien was instrumental in passing the 2002
enabling legislation for the sex offender database.
WASPC relied on a combination of private donations for the
Megan's Law Group and public donations from the Legislature to
build the Internet database. A group of high-tech
professionals heard of the legislation to create the Internet
database and called WASPC to offer assistance. Calling
themselves the "Megan's Law Group," these professionals
donated $650,000 of high-tech equipment and services to design
and build the Internet database.
"As private citizens we are honored to offer our technical
expertise to assist WASPC in producing the statewide sex
offender Web site," said Bob Rapp, a high-tech professional
and Chairman of the Megan's Law Group. "Sex offenders are a
troubling concern. With this Internet database, the citizens
of Washington State can be better aware of the sex offenders
that move into their neighborhoods."
Source:
Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs |
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