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New FDLE E-Mail Tool Helps Public Track Sex Offenders

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By VALERIE KALFRIN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 28, 2008

Updated: 03/28/2008 12:14 am

TAMPA - The Florida Department of Law Enforcement unveiled a free e-mail alert notification system Thursday for people to learn when sex offenders or sexual predators move into their neighborhoods or to track certain ones across the state.

Jim Madden, special agent in charge of the FDLE's Tampa office, called this a proactive tool for residents.

FDLE already maintains a searchable registry of offenders and predators on its Web site, but the e-mail notification is a timesaver, Madden said. People can sign up for the notification through their local law enforcement agency's Web site, at www.flsexoffender.net or at www.fdle.state.fl.us.

After creating an account, users can enter unlimited addresses to monitor, such as their home, child's school or their workplace, Madden said. Users will receive an alert within 24 to 48 hours when a registered sex offender or predator moves within a given radius of the addresses or when an offender's status changes, such as when they abscond from the area. The radius can be up to five miles.

The information in the alerts comes from the registry FDLE maintains, which contains data on more than 47,000 offenders and predators and averages more than 500,000 searches per month, the agency said.

People listed on the registry are classified as offenders or predators. A predator is someone convicted of a felony punishable by death or life in prison or a first-degree felony such as sexual battery; someone who has repeat convictions; someone who uses physical violence; or someone who presents "an extreme threat to the public safety," statutes state.

In addition to monitoring a radius around particular addresses, users can receive e-mail alerts through this system about particular registered sex offenders or predators to track their movements in the state.

Although the system is free for users, maintaining it will cost FDLE $50,000 per year for two years, Madden said. The agency plans to renew the service at that point, he said.

Eleven other states with similar services, Madden said: Iowa, North Dakota, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Wyoming, Louisiana, Ohio, Colorado, Delaware and Michigan.

Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at (813) 259-7800 or vkalfrin @tampatrib.com. Keyword: Monitor, to see reporter Valerie Kalfrin explain how the new tracking tool works.

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