For Immediate Release

October 9, 2013
 
TALLAHASSEE - A new search is available on Florida's Sex Offender Registry allowing citizens to look for sex offenders who are working, living or going to school on college campuses and institutions of higher learning throughout Florida. 

After legislation sponsored by Florida State Senator Eleanor Sobel, the 2013 Florida Legislature allocated funding for FDLE to create a University Search  as part of Florida's existing public website registry, https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/sops/home.jsf
“To enhance public safety and in the spirit of cooperation, the Florida Legislature, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Florida Sheriffs have created greater public awareness of sexual predators on our post-secondary campuses,” said sponsor Sen. Eleanor Sobel.
“It’s important that each of us remains aware of our surroundings,” said FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey.  “With that in mind, the sex predator/offender campus-search function is a valuable source of public safety information.”
Florida's registration law requires sex offenders and predators to report higher education enrollment, employment or vocational activities to local sheriffs' offices.  Florida Sheriffs' Offices provide this information to the institution or university and to FDLE for inclusion in the public on-line registry.  
Using the University Search, citizens can obtain a list of all sex offenders at a particular institution or campus.  Links are included within the search to display the offender’s photograph, offense, and residential information. 
"Sex offenders in our system of higher education are a harsh reality.  Helping to provide Florida's students the most efficient tools to identify and inform themselves about potential threats in their lives was a logical next step for me," said Sen. Eleanor Sobel.
FDLE encourages all colleges, universities and post-secondary institutions to add the sex offender registry link, flsexoffender.org, to their school websites to assist students and parents in taking advantage of this new search.
There are more than 60,000 sex offenders and predators on Florida's Sex Offender Registry and more than 600 have active registration information involving postsecondary institutions.  To search Florida's Sex Offender Registry, visit https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/sops/home.jsf or visit FDLE's website.
For More Information Contact:
Senator Eleanor Sobel
Yale Olenick
(850) 487-5033
 
FDLE Public Information
Gretl Plessinger, Samantha Andrews or Steve Arthur
(850) 410-7001