Sheriff's departments go after sex offenders

The Ventura County Sheriff's Department, in conjunction with the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo county sheriff's departments, has created a tricounty task force focusing on registered sex offenders. It will consist of Ventura County deputies, working with officers 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 Customs Enforcement, county probation and state parole officers to make sure sex offenders are complying with offender registration requirements.

Additionally, the task force will work to 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 among 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.