BRUNSWICK COUNTY — A quick search using the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office “Offender Watch” registry shows 41 sex offenders within 5 miles of Leland’s town hall, 15 within 5 miles of Southport’s downtown, and dozens more across the county.
The new online registry, launched by Brunswick County Sheriff John W. Ingram, allows residents to search for registered sex offenders located inside a “user-defined radius” from any Brunswick County address; users can adjust the radius from a quarter-mile to five miles.
“Offender Watch is a great tool in keeping residents informed of anyone moving into their communities who might be a potential threat to their families. I hope this tool will offer citizens peace of mind in knowing that information is easily accessible,” Ingram said.
The registry also allows residents to sign up for updates, “alerting them if an offender or predator should register an address within their specified radius of their address,” according to Sheriff’s Office Spokesperson Emily Flax.
Residents can sign up for updates for as many addresses as they like, at no cost, Flax said.
The Offender Watch data is updated in real time as offender data is received by the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, according to Flax. The online registry links the county to over 5,000 law enforcement agencies.
According to Flax, Ingram “has also made available additional web-based resources designed to educate and inform the public on ways to keep their families safe. The purpose of the program is to lessen the anxiety of citizens by proactively alerting them should an offender/predator move within proximity to them, and to provide the highest level of security and safety to all Brunswick County citizens.”
You can find the Offender Watch registry for Brunswick County here.
More information will be available at the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office Fall Festival, held Thursday, Oct. 25, at the Brunswick County Government Complex from 6 to 9 p.m. You can find more information about the festival at the event Facebook page.
