Sheriff's new website features outstanding warrants, jail roster

A new website for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office has been completed recently to bridge the gap between the sheriff’s office and members of the public, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.

The website (www.jasoks.org) features, among a variety of things, a list of outstanding warrants in the county and a detailed roster of local inmates currently occupying the Jackson County Jail. 

“My philosophy has been that, to deter crime in our county, we really need to unite with the public,” Morse said. “If we’re able to build a relationship between our citizens, then we are going to be able to do a whole lot more to keep our county safe and keep this a good place to raise children and live.”

As of this morning, there were 945 outstanding warrants in the county, which are listed by last name of the offender on the website. Users can also search by first or last name if they think they may know someone with an outstanding warrant.

“The more eyes the better,” Morse said of making the information more easily accessible to the public. “The sheriff is the holder of all district county warrants. If anybody has information about the location of someone with an outstanding warrant, contact the sheriff’s office.”

A roster of inmates at the jail is being made available online for the first time. The roster includes the name, age and photo of each inmate, as well as their charges.

“The only inmates not listed are those we’re holding for the U.S. Marshals,” he said. “We usually house an additional 15 or so for them.”

There is a disclaimer that appears before the public can view the jail roster and the warrants, noting that the online information is subject to change and that it’s updated continuously. 

The website also lists the offenders registered in Jackson County. Searches for offenders can be narrowed by city and even by street address. Residents can also sign up to receive alerts when an offender is non-compliant or moves into the area, Morse said.

The website also features information about the jail and links to the facility’s commissary service, which allows people to put money into an inmate’s account or order items directly for an inmate, including snacks, clothing and personal hygiene items.

“We make about 33 percent on every purchase made, which is pretty significant,” Morse said. 

Another link allows people to conduct video visitations with an inmate in the jail. Each “pod” or group of cells has a monitor to conduct visitations.

Information about obtaining a conceal carry permit is posted on the site, which has been “live” for over a month, as well as the steps for having a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) inspection completed at the office.

Members of the public can sign up for the Jackson County Community Watch Program through a tab on the website, receiving alerts regarding criminal activity and severe weather, Morse said.

“We have to be proactive and vigilant,” he said. “We have to work together as a community. I tell people to call and call early. If you see something and think about calling, that’s when you should report it.”

The site was designed and is managed by Huber & Associates of Jefferson, Mo., which is the company that manages the office’s computer-aided dispatch system, records management system and jail management system, Morse said. 

“We just wanted to create something people could use and a place to put out all the information,” he said. “Hopefully this will help us catch more bad guys. We can’t solve crimes without the public’s help. We have to be one team.” 

Morse said the website is connected to the dispatch and jail system, so that whenever someone is booked into the jail or a warrant is issued, the website is updated automatically.

Morse said the cost of the website is included in the current management fees his office pays to the company and that fees collected by registered offenders are expected to cover the expense to run the site.