How to get instant sex offender alerts
By: Chelsea Rarrick
Updated: November 16, 2011
In many Central New York communities, it seems like everyone knows everyone.
But what happens when a new face moves to the block?
Eyewitness News took a look at an alert system that can give you access to information about who lives close by, information that can help keep your family safe.
In light of the recent Robert Blainey case, residents are questioning if they'd know a repeated sex offender if they saw one.
By just signing up for a sex offender alert online, you could find out instantly if a Level 2 or Level 3 sex offender moves into your neighborhood.
As a mother of three, Kathryn Fuller wants the best for her children.
And to keep her children safe, she wants to know the whereabouts of any sex offender nearby.
"It doesn't even matter what level it is, I go on the internet on the regular and look for sex offenders in our area. Trick or treating was a big day, we spent all day where to go, where not to go," said Fuller.
But instead of doing the digging herself, Fuller can sign up to receive alerts through the Department of Criminal Justice to be informed if a Level 2 or 3 sex offender has moved near her home.
"When sex offenders change their address, and if they move to your area, you can get an alert on your cell phone. You can receive an email and it basically lets you know where this person lives and who they are," said Sgt. Steve Hauck of The Utica Police Department.
"I think everybody should take that further step to know, to work toward keeping the bad guys away," said Fuller.
By going to the NY-Alert website, people can easily enroll and choose the types of sex offender alerts they want to receive.
The alerts inform people within 24 hours when a sex offender has moved in the area.
"Everyone has their phones on them, and I feel like people really feel like they're out of the look when it comes to things like that.
For Laken Sullivan, she was familiar of the alerts and doesn't see any negativity with being well informed.
"Knowledge is the most important thing. You want to know who your neighbors are. Not necessarily who lives next door to you or maybe across the street, but somebody who lives two, three, streets over," said Hauck.
When it comes to these alerts, you can choose to get information about sex offenders up to 25 miles from your home.
You also decide how often you get the alerts.
For smart phone users out there, you can even have the alert sent in a text message to your mobile phone.
To sign up for these alerts, head to http://www.nyalert.gov and click on "Sign up for NY-Alerts" on the left hand side. You then will go through a step by step process of selecting which types of alerts you wish to receive.
But what happens when a new face moves to the block?
Eyewitness News took a look at an alert system that can give you access to information about who lives close by, information that can help keep your family safe.
In light of the recent Robert Blainey case, residents are questioning if they'd know a repeated sex offender if they saw one.
By just signing up for a sex offender alert online, you could find out instantly if a Level 2 or Level 3 sex offender moves into your neighborhood.
As a mother of three, Kathryn Fuller wants the best for her children.
And to keep her children safe, she wants to know the whereabouts of any sex offender nearby.
"It doesn't even matter what level it is, I go on the internet on the regular and look for sex offenders in our area. Trick or treating was a big day, we spent all day where to go, where not to go," said Fuller.
But instead of doing the digging herself, Fuller can sign up to receive alerts through the Department of Criminal Justice to be informed if a Level 2 or 3 sex offender has moved near her home.
"When sex offenders change their address, and if they move to your area, you can get an alert on your cell phone. You can receive an email and it basically lets you know where this person lives and who they are," said Sgt. Steve Hauck of The Utica Police Department.
"I think everybody should take that further step to know, to work toward keeping the bad guys away," said Fuller.
By going to the NY-Alert website, people can easily enroll and choose the types of sex offender alerts they want to receive.
The alerts inform people within 24 hours when a sex offender has moved in the area.
"Everyone has their phones on them, and I feel like people really feel like they're out of the look when it comes to things like that.
For Laken Sullivan, she was familiar of the alerts and doesn't see any negativity with being well informed.
"Knowledge is the most important thing. You want to know who your neighbors are. Not necessarily who lives next door to you or maybe across the street, but somebody who lives two, three, streets over," said Hauck.
When it comes to these alerts, you can choose to get information about sex offenders up to 25 miles from your home.
You also decide how often you get the alerts.
For smart phone users out there, you can even have the alert sent in a text message to your mobile phone.
To sign up for these alerts, head to http://www.nyalert.gov and click on "Sign up for NY-Alerts" on the left hand side. You then will go through a step by step process of selecting which types of alerts you wish to receive.
