Protecting Community
The Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office considers the protection of the community from sex offenders of significant importance. To aid the public in developing constructive plans to prepare themselves and their children for residing near released sex offenders, the Community Protection Act of 1990 provides for adequate notice to be given to the community concerning sex offenders who are, or will be, residing within our county.
Information Access
In accordance with RCW 4.24.550, the Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office is authorized to release information to the public regarding sex offenders when it determines that disclosure of the information is relevant and necessary to protect the community at large and to counteract the danger created by a particular offender. The content of the information made available, as well as where and how the information is disseminated, is restricted to the standards set forth in Chapter 4.24 and by the Washington State Supreme Court ruling in State v. Ward, 123 Wa 2d 488 (1994).
The Washington State Legislature has determined that the public disclosure of relevant and necessary information shall be related to: (a) the level of risk posed by the offender to the community; (b) the location where the offender resides, intends to reside, or is regularly found; and (c) the needs of the affected community members for information to enhance their individual and collective safety.