The public now has the option to view photos and booking details for inmates in the Pike County Jail.

Pike County Sheriff Russell Thomas said the department was excited to give the public this opportunity.

“We hope it will be a tool for us to use, our deputies to use, our investigators, but the public more than anything,” Thomas said. “If they are a victim of a crime such as domestic violence they can check and see if the inmate is still in jail or what their status is. It helps to keep the public informed and we don’t have to have dispatch tied up.”

Thomas said the website would be most useful for people who are concerned about public safety, particularly those who may be a victim in a domestic violence situation.

“We have victims three or six months down the road call and they want to know if people are still in jail,” Thomas said. “They’ll call asking, ‘Should I be afraid?’ or if we could let then know when (the inmate is) released. Domestic violence is very serious, so this is a way for the victims to track the case and keep up with its status.”

Thomas said this was the last phase of the website development and the inmate roster is available on the website seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

“They won’t have to pick up their phone and call anymore,” Thomas said. “With this tool, the public will be able to check it themselves or we can even pull it up on our phones. It’s just an added tool. People want to feel safe and secure in their communities and they want to make sure that the people who are being arrested are either in jail or have made bond. We have an obligation to inform the public, so this is one way we can fulfill it.”

For more information about the updates, contact the Pike County Sheriff’s Office at 566-6347 or visit the department’s website at www.pikecountyalsherff.com.