SLED Unveils New Sex Offender Tracking System

Columbia, SC -– The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has unveiled a new Web-based system for tracking registered sex offenders.

The Offender Watch program is linked to the national sex offender registry and allows citizens to search for sex offenders that are living in their neighborhoods.

The program, which can be found on the SLED Website, enables users to enter an address and access a map that lists all the registered sex offenders within a 2 mile radius.

The system provides a photo and detailed information about each offender, including their address, physical description, crimes committed, aliases used, and outstanding warrants.

It also allows users to send the information to friends and family.

SLED IT Director Paul Flondarina says the program is an important new tool for law enforcement.

“One of the main aspects of the program is to limit where sexual offenders may live within the state. And this map will help show and help prevent sexual offenders from moving into areas that are prohibited for them to live in.”

Flondarina says state law prohibits registered sex offenders from living within a half-mile of schools, daycares, or parks.

There are roughly 12,000 registered sex offenders living in South Carolina.