Deputy monitors sex offenders

Is there a registered sex offender living near you?

Wahkiakum and Pacific counties have teamed to have a deputy sheriff monitoring the whereabouts of sex offenders full time.

The result, Sheriff Jon Dearmore said Tuesday, is that law enforcement officers now know where offenders are living, and the scrutiny will likely dissuade offenders from moving to the area.

Around 1990, the legislature created laws requiring sex offenders to register their residence with law enforcement agencies.

Offenders were evaluated by the Department of Corrections in three classes--Level 1 is unlikely to offend again; Level 2 is a moderate risk to offend again, and Level 3 is highly likely to offend again.

The sheriff's department created a registry in a 3-ring binder, but it was often out of date.

That was a statewide problem, said Pacific County Deputy Sheriff Ron Clark, who now monitors offenders in Pacific and Wahkiakum counties.

In 2002, the state surveyed communities and agencies about their needs for offender registration, and in 2005, the state developed uniform, statewide guidelines for monitoring offenders. The legislature budgeted money for the hiring of officers, and Clark is the officer charged with monitoring offenders in Pacific and Wahkiakum.

Records are now kept digitally, and people may access them through the sheriff's department website. Much of the records of Level 1 offenders are kept confidential, Dearmore said, but records of Level 2 and 3 offenders are public (see note at end of article for more about Level 1).

Clark and Dearmore added that Clark is supposed to visit each offender. The requirements call for quarterly visits of Level 3 offenders, semi-annual visits for Level 2, and an annual visit for Level 1. However, Clark said he often pops in on the offenders, so they're seen much more frequently than required.

"These offenders are like moving cats because they move often," Dearmore said. "It's hard to stay on top of them. That's why it's so important to have an officer doing it."

He added that offenders seem to communicate with each other and will know what areas are watchful and what areas aren't.

"We are 100 percent compliant with the requirements," Dearmore said.

Clark said there are 14 registered sexual offenders in Wahkiakum County; one is a Level 2 offender, and the other 13 are Level 1 offenders. Pacific County has several Level 3 offenders.

The officers added that the department notifies people, schools and child care facilities when a Level 2 or 3 offender moves into an area.

Editor's note: Wednesday morning, Undersheriff Mark Howie added this information about Level 1 offenders: The public has a right to know certain information about ALL levels of registered sex offenders. The difference is how much information is revealed and the manner it is revealed ie. website, general public notifications, or in person at the local law enforcement agency. Although Level I offenders may not be available online, anyone can come down to the Sheriff’s Office and ask to see a list of all RSO’s in our county.