DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. -- Desert Hot Springs police unveiled an online tool Wednesday that allows residents to track the whereabouts of sex offenders in the city.
The system, called OffenderWatch, contains up-to-date information on the location and status of registered offenders, police said.
There are currently 69 sex offenders living in Desert Hot Springs, according to KESQ Channel 3. The station reported that Desert Hot Springs is the first city in the Coachella Valley to invest in the OffenderWatch, which has been around for about 10 years.
Parents can conduct a computer search around schools, gyms, parks, day cares and homes to see if a sex offender lives nearby. Residents can also register addresses within the city, and the Web site will automatically monitor the address and send an e-mail alert if an offender moves to the area.
The tool is available for public use on the city's Web page at www.cityofdhs.org, within the police department section.
