Marion County Sheriff's Office continues sex offender sweeps on northwest side

INDIANAPOLIS — The Marion County Sheriff's Office continued Operation Watchful Eye on Wednesday with a sex offender sweep in Pike Township on the northwest side of Indianapolis.

The sweep resulted in 17 compliancy checks, three warrant service attempts, two warrant arrests for failure to register and a new investigation was opened for failure to register, according to the sheriff's office.

Last week, the sheriff's office started Operation Watchful Eye to check on the more than 1,800 sexual and or violent offenders in the county. The office focused its efforts last week near Brookside Park.

When WRTV spoke with the Marion County Sheriff Kerry Forestal last week, he said they were going to continue the operation this week.

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There are currently 1,825 sexual or violent offenders living in Marion County, 52% of which were convicted and sentenced from another state or another county, according to the sheriff's office. That figure is up from 42% a year ago.

Forestal said he believes part of the reason is because of the number of residents in Marion County.

"It's easier to hide here. If you live in Tipton they're going to know you. If you come and mix among 900,000 to one million people you may not," Forestal said.

He also says he believes there are too many programs conveniently located by the State government within Marion County saying they can use the bus lines.

Marion County residents can search for registered sex offenders living in their neighborhoods on the sheriff's office's website.

WRTV Senior Digital Content Producer Andrew Smith assisted with this report.