In an attempt to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office now has a website up and running that offers several helpful tools for area residents.
Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver said the website offers everything from the history of the sheriff’s office to kids’ activities to detention center information to sex offender lists and so much more.
“We have tried to think of every service and every aspect of the sheriff’s office that we believe people need to know about,” Oliver said. “We want this to be helpful, but we also want it to be a way that the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is transparent with the community.
“We want our citizens to know what’s going on, how we’re handling certain situations, and any other pertinent information that may come up on a weekly basis.”
Oliver said something that will be helpful to all area residents is the “Sex Offender” tab that displays a full list of registered sex offenders in Franklin County as well as a map pinpointing the location of these sex offenders and links to their pictures and arrest information.
“As a law enforcement official, I know this information is important to people, but as a father of three children, I know how important this information is for parents who desire to keep their children safe,” Oliver said.
“Just being aware of your surroundings is one step parents can take to ensure their child’s safety, and this tab has several resources rolled into one to make the information easy to access.”
Oliver said another useful link on the website is the “Detention Center” tab that gives important information about inmates visits, items allowed in the jail, items not allowed in the jail, rules for correspondence and bond information.
“We get so many questions at the detention center about what kids of things inmates can have with them, what kind of mail they can receive, what the process is to bond someone out – the questions are numerous,” Oliver said. “This tab is a one-stop solution to almost any question that friends or family members of our inmates need to know.
“We think this will save a lot of confusion and make the process easier for everyone involved.”
Oliver said residents will be able to check the sheriff’s office website to find out road conditions throughout the county, especially during the winter months, and a calendar of events will be available to highlight any upcoming activities of particular interest to the community.
But one of the biggest things Oliver is excited about is the “Alerts” tab that allows resident to sign up for e-mail or text message alerts when something is happening in Franklin County.
“This is a great tool for the community,” Oliver said. “If they can’t check the website every day, they can stay in the loop through our alert system. We encourage everyone to sign up for this important feature.”
The site also features an “E-Newsletter” highlighting current information and a “Kids Korner” tab that has coloring sheets and safety tips for children.
“We also have our “Most Wanted” individuals in Franklin County listed so residents can keep on the lookout for these individuals,” Oliver said. “And we have links to make submitting community tips easier to further aid crime and drug prevention throughout the county.
“We just urge everyone to visit our site and stay up-to-date with what is going on in our area. We hope this is a helpful tool and something that will benefit our community.”
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office website can be found at www.franklinsheriff.org.