MADISON, MILWAUKEE – As part of Governor Doyle’s ongoing efforts to tighten the net around sex offenders in Wisconsin, Governor Doyle today announced that law enforcement authorities have located 17 of “Wisconsin’s Most Wanted Sex Offenders.” Governor Doyle also announced that teams of retired law enforcement and sex offender registry experts have tracked down more than 850 sex offenders who have failed to comply with the state’s sex offender registration law.
“Keeping our kids and our communities safe is our top priority and a never-ending job,” Governor Doyle said. “I applaud the efforts of law enforcement officials, parents, teachers, and neighbors across the state who are working together to tighten the net around sex offenders. Wisconsin has cemented its status as a national leader in tracking down and monitoring sex offenders, but there is still more work to do. We must not rest until we’ve made it impossible for sex offenders to move undetected through our neighborhoods.”
Wisconsin’s Most Wanted
“Wisconsin’s Most Wanted”, a list of the most dangerous and elusive sex offenders in the state, was launched in May as part of the Governor’s Sex Offender Apprehension and Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Initiative. Developed by Governor Doyle’s SAFE Task Force, a group of 15 top law enforcement leaders from across the state, the offenders on the list were selected based on a comprehensive set of criteria including seriousness of offense, overall criminal history, history of complying with registration rules, and other factors.
Information about each offender is available on the Most Wanted web site, www.mostwantedsexoffenders.wi.gov.
Today, Governor Doyle directed the Department of Corrections to target 20 additional dangerous and elusive sex offenders that meet the criteria for “Wisconsin’s Most Wanted.” Governor Doyle again asked local law enforcement, parents, teachers, and neighbors to view the information on the web site and contact authorities with any information about these individuals or their whereabouts.
Noncompliant Sex Offenders
The Governor also announced today that 855 noncompliant sex offenders, including 520 who committed crimes against juveniles, have been tracked down by SAFE Teams, comprised of retired
law enforcement professionals and sex offender registry specialists from the Department of Corrections (DOC). The SAFE Teams work closely with law enforcement agencies around the state to arrest and hold accountable those sex offenders who try to become anonymous in our communities.
Coordination among law enforcement agencies has forced more sex offenders into compliance with
state law, raising the rate of compliance to 88 percent from 82 percent one year ago, when Governor Doyle first ordered a crackdown on sex offenders who have not complied with the sex offender registry. The average compliance rate nationally is 76 percent.
Regional Cooperation
This spring, DOC Secretary Matthew Frank convened the first-ever Midwest SAFE Summit with four neighboring states to share ideas and best practices on effective sex offender tracking and registry management. Since then, Wisconsin has exchanged sex offender information with Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota, pioneering one of the first systems in the country to share registry data electronically with neighboring states on a regular basis.
Due to the achievements of the SAFE Initiative, Wisconsin was one of only two states in the country to earn a grade of “A” and the only Midwest state to receive a grade higher than ‘D’ in a report issued earlier this month by the national children’s advocacy group Parents for Megan’s Law.
Citizens with any information on the whereabouts of any of the most wanted sex offenders should contact local law enforcement department or the “SAFE Tip” hotline toll free at 1-877-234-0085 or via email at docsafetips@doc.state.wi.us. Calls will be answered by DOC staff Monday through Friday between 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Citizens with any immediate concern for their safety or the safety of a child are asked to call 911.
Learn more about Governor Doyle’s SAFE Initiative at: http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/journal_media_detail.asp?prid=1358&locid=19.
