SCSO Now Notifying Citizens of Sex Offenders/Predators

Do you ever worry that there is a sex offender living in your neighborhood? Well, here is your chance to be in the know! The SCSO has launched a new initiative to more publicly notify citizens when sex offenders and sexual predators move into the county.

“We want citizens to know when someone who has been labeled a sex offender or predator moves into this county and where they plan to live,” said Sheriff Tom Knight. “We do this to keep people informed of potential dangers, and to provide them with the information they need to accurately understand the situation.”

When a sex offender or predator is released from jail or prison, or moves to a new address, they must register within the new county. But if they are planning move to Sarasota, their picture will be broadcast the SCSO website and posted to the agency’s Facebook page. Oh yeah, did we mention the SCSO will also send out a press release with their mugshot to dozens of local news networks?

In addition to providing residential information, the release states when the crime occurred, provides context about the case, the sentence they received, explains whether they have been declared a sex offender or predator and what restrictions they have.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office still recommends that citizens sign up for sex offender alerts from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement or by clicking here.