CodeRed To Be Used for Sex Offender Notification

You can now be notified by phone if a high-level sex offender moves into the City of Texarkana, Ark.

The Texarkana, Ark., Police Department says the CodeRED Emergency Notification System will now include notification of Level 3 and Level 4 sex offenders moving into the city.

The police department will release level 3 and level 4 sex offender notification information pursuant to section 13 of Act 989 of 1997, the Sex and Child Offender Registration and the Community Notification Guidelines promulgated by agencies to inform the public of a sex offender’s release, when the release of such information will enhance public safety and protection. The individual who appears on this notification has been convicted of an offence that requires registration with the Arkansas Crime Information Center.

Authorities believe that the notification of level 3 and level 4 will be more successful by utilizing the CodeRed Emergency Notification System.

The CodeRED system was first established for all of Bowie and Miller Counties (including Texarkana) in 2006 as a means of quickly notifying targeted areas of the community of emergency situations.

The system gives city officials the ability to deliver pre-recorded emergency telephone notification/information messages to targeted areas or the entire city/county at a rate of up to 60,000 calls per hour.

The system not only offers faster calling rates and improved message delivery, it gives individuals and businesses the ability to add their own phone numbers directly to the system's telephone database.

The CodeRed system is free and takes just a few minutes to sign up and register by going here.  Those without Internet access may call Central Records and Communications at 903-798-3181 to give their information over the phone.

Required information includes first and last name, street address (physical address, no P.O. boxes), city, state, zip code, and primary phone number. Additional phone numbers are optional.

Central Records and Communication Manager, Kelly O’Neill said, “CodeRED gives those who want to be included an easy and secure method for doing so. The information will only be used for emergency notification purposes." Questions should be directed to O’Neill at 903-798-3181.