While children will be trick-or-treating on Halloween, the Missoula Police Department is making information available to parents about those in their neighborhoods who are listed with the Sexual and Violent Offender Registry.

Detective Arianna Adams says parents should take the precaution of checking the registry before allowing their children to just knock on any door.

“I would encourage people to visit the online registry,” said Detective Adams. “Statistically, we have about 700 between the city and the county. You can access online and enter a specific address or a zip code and it will give you the location of all the sexual and violent offenders in that radius.”

Adams said safety for children is the ultimate goal of the registry.

“I think it’s important to talk to the kids about safety,” she said. “Have children go to familiar neighborhoods and for parents to also accompany children when they’re trick-or-treating. If parents need specific information about a sexual or violent offender as far as what they can or can’t do as far as being close to schools, restrictions about being around minors, I can assist them with that information, and if they think a violent or sexual offender may not be in compliance, they can contact me for that, as well.”

Detective Adams can be reached by calling the Missoula Police Department at 552-6300.

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