Full Notification

With the end of the school year rapidly approaching, parents and guardians are encouraged to search the Offender Watch Registry and to keep open lines of communication with children to increase family safety. Sheriff Bowen encourages all residents to be diligent in educating themselves about offenders living and working in the county.

Visiting the Offender Watch Registry at http://www.sheriffalerts.com/cap_main.php?office=54835 allows residents to enter an address and receive email notification if an offender moves into the neighborhood. Residents can also enter any address and find out if an offender lives or works in a radius of one (1) mile from the location. This is important in order to maintain awareness of sex offenders living in your neighborhood or in neighborhoods children might frequent during visits to friends and family members. Offender Watch is updated daily as new offenders register. Hamilton County currently has 156 registered offenders living and working around the area.

Parents are also encouraged to take responsibility for their children and know where they are at all times. Talk with children about letting an adult know their locations and never accepting anything without a parent or guardian’s permission. If a child gets lost, have the child look for a uniformed officer, an employee at a store, or someone similar. A child should never let a stranger know he or she is alone even when at home. Never be afraid to say “No” and to get away from a person or situation that makes a child, or an adult, feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused. Don’t scare the fun out of being a kid or having a summer vacation but teach them what they need to know to keep safe.

More information, tips, talking points, and ideas are found on the Offender Watch site at http://www.sheriffalerts.com/cap_main.php?office=54835. As always, members of the Sheriff’s Office stand ready to assist all summer by contacting us at 317-773-1282 or 911 for an emergency.