For further information please contact: Capt. J. Tim Hull
(573) 526-6115

Q101013
October 22, 2010

EMPHASIS: Missouri State Highway Patrol Launches Sex Offender E-mail Alert System

Colonel Ron Replogle, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, announced today a new e-mail alert system that allows the public to receive automatic notifications regarding registered sexual offenders living or working in their area.

The system, called the Sex Offender Community Notification Program, enhances the Patrol’s Sex Offender Registry Web site. The program may be accessed by clicking on the “E-mail Alerts” icon on the Sex Offender Registry Web site located at http://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/CJ38/search.jsp.

The new service allows anyone to sign up for e-mail notifications regarding changes in addresses or work locations of registered sexual offenders in their area. Users can sign up for two different types of e-mail notifications. In both cases, those signed up will receive e-mails within 24 hours of a change to a designated sex offender’s address within the state registry.

Community Notification options include:

Notification by address: Allows users to enter up to five physical addresses to track. The user simply selects a radius around each address—from 500 feet up to five miles. If at any time a sexual offender registers a home, work, or school address located within the user's selected radius, an e-mail notification will be sent alerting the user of the sex offender's new registration information.

Notification by offender: Allows users to track a specific sexual offender regardless of the proximity of that offender to any given address. If this notification option is selected, the user will receive an alert e-mail anytime the selected offender changes their registered home, work, or school address. Up to five separate sexual offenders may be tracked at any single time utilizing this option.

The Missouri Sex Offender Registry was created in January 1995 in accordance to standards set by the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act. Following the passage of this act, other state and federal legislation such as “Megan’s Law” and the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 further strengthened the ability of law enforcement to provide public notification services concerning registered sexual offenders.

The Missouri Sex Offender Registry’s Web site went on-line in May 2004, initially as a listing of sex offenders, designated by county. In September 2005, it was enhanced to include a searchable database, offender photos and basic mapping features.

It has since been enhanced to include greater detailed mapping and a listing of the Missouri offenders who have absconded from their reporting requirements

The Missouri State Highway Patrol Sex Offender Community Notification Program advances this objective by increasing public awareness of sexual offenders living in the community in a user friendly way.

Questions about this program may be directed to the Sex Offender Registry Unit at 1-888-SOR-MSHP (767-6747) or MOSOR@mshp.dps.mo.gov.

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