10-19-2010 Idaho:
Caldwell, Idaho -- Canyon County is taking the lead on a three-county task force with a sole purpose finding people who fail to register as sex offenders and those who target kids over the Internet for sex.
Debbie McRae is the supervisor for Canyon County's sex offender registration unit. She's about to get a lot more help to catch people who have committed sex crimes. That's because Canyon County was just awarded a $493,000 federal COPS grant to share with Ada and Bannock Counties.
"We had support of law enforcement personnel from three separate counties who indicated a desire to make this a priority in their counties," said Interim Canyon County Prosecutor Tim Fleming.
The focus is on non-compliant sex offenders who should be registered and people who solicit children for sex on the Internet. With several counties and agencies working together, that cooperative approach caught the eye of the people handing out the federal funds.
"The grant that was put together and chaired by the Canyon County Prosecutor's office, was the best. I was absolutely the number one applicant that they got for this," said Kevin Platts, with the U.S. Marshal's service.
The 2-year grant will go towards hiring an investigator and a prosecutor, providing training and buying technological equipment. A program called Offender Watch went online in Canyon County about six weeks ago. It tells you exactly where sex offenders live and it also tracks them.
And now Ada County will be getting the same system. That means more people in the Treasure Valley will know if their neighbors have a sex crime past.
"What you're seeing here is just what's available to the public. There's a whole other side to the offender watch that law enforcement can use and share information between each agency," said McRae.
It's hoped that a bigger collaborative effort will result in a drastic drop in sex crimes against children here in the Gem State.
"Idaho citizens are best-served when law enforcement resources and prosecuting attorney resources work together to make sure that the offenders are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," said U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson. ..Source.. by KTRV.TV
October 19, 2010
More Money to Track Sex Offenders
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These folks are seriously out of step with reality. Studies show this does not work. They also fell into the government trap of having to retain these workers after the grant expires.
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