Sheriff's task force keeps watch over sex offenders

The Ventura County Sheriff's Department, in conjunction with the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Departments, has announced the creation of a tricounty task force focusing on registered sex offenders. The task force will consist of Ventura County Sheriff's deputies, working with deputies from Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, in a combined effort to increase the compliance rate of registered sex offenders.

The task force will work jointly with local police departments, immigration and custom enforcement, county probation and state parole to further proactive registered sex offender enforcement with the goal of creating a consistent response to the offender registration requirement. Additionally, the task force will work to better educate the public on the Megan's Law system and to present a proactive, zerotolerance stance against sex offenders who fail to comply with registration requirements.

Grant funding will provide for law enforcement positions and equipment to assist in monitoring, tracking and locating registered sex offenders, ensuring registration compliance through regular compliance verification checks, concentrated enforcement efforts through the use of compliance sweeps and aggressive prosecution of offenders. Grant funding will also provide equipment and training used for a public awareness campaign educating citizens on the use and capabilities of the Megan's Law website.

Funding for this program was provided by a $687,750 grant from the Governor's Office of Emergency Services. The funds will be divided between the three counties.

The task force has conducted two compliance sweeps in the Ojai and Fillmore areas and will continue to conduct additional sweeps throughout the grant period.