Governor Uses Emergency Fund for GPS Monitoring

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Gov. Christine Gregoire implemented an emergency program to monitor 50 of the state’s most dangerous sex offenders with GPS tracking units.

The program is expected to cost $400,000 and will be paid for with an emergency fund that was created to handle critical needs of the state.

“As governor and as a mother, keeping communities safe is one of my top priorities,” Gregoire says. “With the advice, guidance and partnership of state and local police officers, we are taking additional measures to better track sex offenders to better protect communities.”

The program started the week of the announcement with electronic monitoring of five high-risk offenders. The program is expected to monitor 50 offenders by mid-year 2008 and 150 offenders by 2009. There are about 300 high-risk offenders in the state.

In accordance with state law, the monitoring system can be imposed on Level 3 offenders — those considered the most dangerous — who committed crimes after June 6. The system will provide information on offender movements at least every 24 hours, according to reports.

“As we have worked through these issues in the sex offender task force, we are looking to measures that will work to keep communities safe,” says Russ Hauge, a Kitsap County prosecutor. “The action that Gov. Gregoire is taking is a quick, effective way to help protect communities from the sex offenders most likely to reoffend such as those who are homeless and unemployed.”

The state’s Department of Corrections will work with local law enforcement officials to develop criteria for the electronic monitoring system. The program will be headed by the DOC Community Corrections Division, which will install equipment, enroll offenders and manage cases.

“This additional monitoring on the worst offenders is an appropriate, measured response to an immediate need in our communities,” says Mountlake Terrace Police Chief Scott Smith.

The announcement of the new program follows legislative pressure on the governor to hold a special session to increase electronic monitoring and toughen penalties for sex offenders.