Sex Offender Notification Procedure

Upon receiving written notification from the County Sheriff’s Office, or any other police agency, about the likely presence of a sexual offender on or near any college-controlled facility, activity or event; the college may take such steps as are necessary and appropriate under applicable state law to inform members of the college community of the presence of such persons. Persons likely to be present include applicants for admission, attending students, employees of the college, or persons otherwise known or suspected to frequent the college or college-controlled facilities, activities, or events.

The Director of Campus Safety & Security shall be the designated official to receive notifications from the County Sheriff’s Office or other police agencies. Prior to notification, the Director of Campus Safety & Security may, when deemed advisable, contact appropriate police and/or community corrections personnel to obtain information to guide notification actions. The Vice President of Student Services shall coordinate notification to the campus community with the Director of Campus Safety & Security. Any person on campus receiving notification from a police agency shall provide a copy of such notification to the Director of Campus Safety & Security. The Vice President for Student Services, or equivalent officer, shall make the appropriate notifications if the offender is enrolled or deemed likely to enroll in, or to attend, a course, program, or other activity or event that is controlled or sponsored by the College.

The office of the Vice President for Student Services will maintain the following records on all registered sex offenders covered under this policy:

  • copies of all files
  • photos and other correspondence provided by other agencies
  • a record of all notifications made
  • copies of all community advisory flyers or other public notices

In the case of a college employee, Executive Human Resource Officer shall maintain a similar file and, with consultation of the President, shall coordinate notification.

The extent of the public disclosure of relevant and necessary information shall be rationally related to (a) the level of risk posed by the offender to the community, (b) the locations where the offender resides or is regularly found, and (c) the needs of the members of the college community for information to enhance their individual and collective safety. The extent and types of notifications may be adjusted on a case-by-case basis, but shall be generally guided by the offender risk factors as follows:

Level I - Low Risk

  • Campus Safety & Security & Security
  • President
  • Vice President for Instruction
  • Executive Human Resource Officer
  • Vice President of Student Services
  • Vice President for Advancement
  • Executive Technology Officer

Level II - Medium Risk

  • All Level I notifications
  • Faculty and staff in whose program and/or course the student is enrolled
  • Work Study Office
  • DEIC
  • Counseling and Health Services
  • Tutoring & Resource Center
  • Math Learning Center
  • Writing Center
  • Early Childhood Education Program 
  • Student Life
  • Athletics
  • Child Care Center
  • Student Housing
  • Career & Advising Center
  • Enrollment Services
  • TRIO
  • Library
  • Workforce Education
  • Peer mentoring programs
  • Any college program with a significant population of students under the age of 18 (Running Start)
  • Any other program or office with whom the student has or is likely to have contact

Level III - High Risk

  • All Level I and II notifications
  • All college employees via e-mail
  • College bulletins and bulletin boards
  • Any other means to get the information out to the college community

Additional Procedures for Level III Offenders

  • Written notification of the offender’s intent to enroll at the college must be received at least three (3) months prior to actual enrollment.
  • Offender must have at least six (6) consecutive months without any violations of his/her registration conditions leading up to enrolling at the college
  • Level III offenders are restricted to attending classes at the Mottman campus or online classes if it doesn’t interfere with any restrictions by law enforcement.
  • Notification to the campus community will occur approximately six (6) weeks before the start of the offender’s enrollment at SPSCC.
  • While on campus, offender will be monitored by Campus Safety & Security staff and will be introduced to each class he/she attends as a Level III Sex Offender.

Especially for Level II and Level III offenders, the college will ordinarily notify the offender of the notifications it is making.

The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) through the “Model Policy” established guidelines for risk-level classification and the dissemination of information about sex offenders.

  1. Lowest Risk to Re-Offend (Level 1):
    Information is maintained by local law enforcement agency and is disseminated to other appropriate law enforcement agencies.
  2. Moderate Risk to Re-Offend (Level 2):
    In addition to Level 1 dissemination, information is also released to any businesses or organizations who serve families and children. These include but are not limited to public schools, private schools, day care facilities and public service organizations. Also, it is recommended that there are community notification meetings.
  3. Highest Risk to Re-Offend (Level 3):
    Includes all notification dissemination for Level 1 and Level 2 offenders. In addition, the public may be notified through press releases to local news media outlets.

The End of Sentence Review Committee is made up of a variety of state and local agencies that together complete risk-level assessment of most sex offenders either convicted in Washington State or convicted in another state and move to Washington. The purpose of risk-level assessment is to provide the community with information about convicted sex offenders who pose a moderate or high risk to re-offend.

Specific Authority

[OAG 103P; A.G. Order No 2563-2002] RIN 1105-AA81: Guidelines for the Campus
Sex Crimes Prevention Act Amendment to the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act.
RCW 9A.44.130
The Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting, published 2011; pp. 141-148
20 U.S.C. §1232g(b)(7)