A new publicly accessible child sex offender database went live Thursday, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) announced, calling it the first of its kind in Canada.
The High Risk Child Sex Offender Database contains information from across the country about people who have been found guilty of sexual offences against children and are deemed to be at risk of re-offending.
“The database contains information that has previously been made public by a police service or public authority,” the RCMP said in a Thursday press release.
“Only the offenders deemed as high risk of committing a crime of a sexual nature are included in the database.”
The RCMP said it relies on provincial, territorial and municipal police to recommend the individuals who should be included in the database given the “established and robust” practices they already have in place for determining high-risk offenders in their respective jurisdictions.
“Administered by the RCMP, the database is another tool that law enforcement can use to help investigate and prevent crimes against children of a sexual nature,” the release read.
“It also helps the public get informed and make decisions when it comes to protecting children and vulnerable individuals.”
The database is not affiliated with the well-established National Sex Offender Registry, a registration system for those convicted of designated sexual offences who are court-ordered to report annually to police. The registry is only accessible to law enforcement.
RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme said in the release that the database is a useful tool for both the public and law enforcement, adding that protecting children from sexual offences is a shared responsibility.
“The importance of centralizing public notifications of high-risk child sex offenders is two-fold,” he said. “It now provides Canadians with a tool to get informed and take appropriate precautions and it also helps the law enforcement community share information more seamlessly on offenders amongst themselves.”