Sex offenders have always lived in our communities. However, it wasn't until the passage of the Community Protection Act of 1990, mandating sex offender registration, that law enforcement agencies routinely tracked where sex offenders were living. Offender Watch manages and monitors the whereabouts of registered sex and kidnapping offenders in Kitsap County, as well as allowing you to see where level 2 and 3 registered sex offenders live within a 2-mile distance to your home.
Citizen abuse of this information to threaten, intimidate or harass registered sex offenders will not be tolerated. Further, such abuse could potentially end law enforcement's ability to do community notifications. We believe the only person who wins if community notification ends is the sex offender since sex offenders derive their power through secrecy.
The Kitsap County Sheriff's Office will release information on Level Three (3) registered sex offenders in Kitsap County in accordance with the Community Protection Act and related statutes. This information is not intended to create panic or alarm. The intent is to inform our citizens and to enhance community safety and awareness. These individuals have served the sentence imposed by the courts and in compliance with the Community Protection Act, have advised the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office that they will be living in Kitsap County.
Please note, that these individuals are not wanted by the police at this time. Additionally, because there are no court-ordered restrictions about their residences, the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office has no legal authority to direct where a sex offender may or may not live. Citizen abuse of this information to threaten, intimidate or harass registered sex offenders will not be tolerated. In fact, such abuse could ultimately result in the end of law enforcement's ability to notify the public.
The Kitsap County Sheriff's Office believes the only person who wins if the community notifications end, is the sex offender. Sex offenders gain their power through secrecy.
