INDIANAPOLIS -- The Marion County Sheriff's Department on Thursday unveiled a new tool designed to help keep children safe from sex offenders.

A new Web site allows residents to find out if registered offenders live near them. Residents can also get e-mail alerts when an offender moves within a certain distance of their home.

"Within about 24 hours of their sign up, the offender's movement will be logged on and an e-mail will be sent to you," said Kerry Forestal, chief deputy of the Marion County Sheriff's Department.

With school out for the summer and more children outside, the high-tech crime-fighting tool is a priceless resource available to protect children, 6News' Rick Hightower reported.

"Sign up for the e-mail updates … available to you. Learn if new offenders move into your area. Download a number of safety tips to keep your family and loved ones safe," said Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson.

While the database contains plenty of information, it cannot show where at least 180 offenders believed to live in Marion County are because they are not registered.

The sheriff's department said it is actively trying to find those people and add them to their database.

More Info: Marion County Sex Offender Search