Improved Sex Offender Database On the Way

By: Jon Paepcke/NBC 13 | Alabama's13.com
Published: May 13, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- Investigator Ronny Short tracks down sex offenders for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department.

Today he stopped by this Birmingham hotel to check in on two offenders' whereabouts.

After a quick visit with hotel management, Short said he discovered one offender is breaking the law.

“Mr. Derrick Robinson was not here and has never been here. So there's two charges right there. One he lied to us and never moved in here and second, he never gave us the thirty day notice before moving,” Short claimed.

Short says he'll use a database called “Offender Watch” to find Robinson.

It's a high-tech computer program Jefferson County has used to track sex offenders for years.

Soon officers around the state will have instant access to Short's files.

Last year Alabama bought the state-wide version of the system and today two dozen local law enforcement agencies met in Birmingham to learn how it works for the first time.

Sheriff Mike Hale says the software helped them bust nearly one-third of the county's offenders in 2007.

“You had a pool of six hundred last year. 245 committed felony violations that we were able to track with watch systems,” Hale recalled.

Short said he's excited about sharing Jefferson County's success with officers across Alabama.

“One click and everybody can pull up each other's information and we don't have to waste time trying to track each other down. Gives us more time to get out in the field here and find them,” Short concluded.

Eight more workshops are planned over the next two weeks.

The statewide system could be up and running by June.

Improved Sex Offender Database On the Way

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