Sheriff's Office Website Reaches New 100,000 Visit Milestone

As of Thursday, July 17, 2008, the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office website reached a milestone in breaking the 100,000 mark in number of “visits” the website has received since becoming active on November 1, 2007.

The website has each month experienced an increasing number of visits, or times accessed by the public, since it went live slightly over eight (8) months ago. Public interest in the site has continued to increase as new interactive features of special interest have been added to the site. These have included adding the email alert features for most wanted, registered sex offenders, and press releases, among other areas, and, most recently, the detention center inmate roster that is easily accessible by the public and updates data every 10 to 15 minutes. We have received a very positive response to the inmate roster feature, almost doubling the number of daily visits to our website since that feature was activated.

Due primarily to citizen tips and information, we have today seen the arrest of the 187th “Most Wanted” person who had been profiled on the website since it went online. This would not have been possible without the very valuable input from members of the public who are assisting the Sheriff’s Office by taking proactive steps to provide us with the information we need to locate people on these warrants. We greatly appreciate the continued public support in our efforts to apprehend wanted persons.

We have conceptualized more new features that we hope to add to the website over time that will make it even better and more useful. We will continue to actively monitor the website and keep it populated with current and updated information not only on Sheriff’s Office facilities, personnel, equipment and capabilities, but also with current information on registered sex offenders and wanted persons to help keep the public safe.

Another benefit the Sheriff’s Office has enjoyed has been the ability for members of the public to access and find the information they are seeking through the website, rather than having to call the office seeking information by phone. Examples include people who call inquiring about an inmate’s charges and bond, as well as information on major tragedies, such as this week’s helicopter crash near the Norfork Dam. The website has allowed us to issue press releases that provide accurate information on those events, immediately accessible to anyone, including members of the press, without them having to call the office asking employees to fax or email information to them. This keeps the office staff from having to handle such a large number of incoming phone calls, saving time and hours that can be devoted to other important duties.

It has always been our belief that the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office belongs to the citizens of this county. This website is just another way to leverage technology to help keep this office transparent and to enlist the citizens as our partners in preserving the safety and qualify of life we all enjoy.

John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff