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The Washington County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) has launched a new website that provides a wide array of features for the public to utilize.

Undersheriff Jon Copeland said the biggest feature of the new website allows Washington County citizens to perform inmate searches. Copeland said the inmate search will show you who is currently in their facility. He said the log will provide basic information such as the inmates name, photo, charges, and bond amount.

If anyone is arrested in any of the towns or cities in Washington County by any arresting agency (i.e. the Bartlesville Police Department, WCSO, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, etc.) they are brought to the Washington County Detention Center in Bartlesville. Copeland said you will be able to see anyone arrested in Washington County on their website. He said you could search for an inmate by first or last name and it will show you your search based on inmates currently being held at the jail.

The website - washingtoncosheriff.com - is also connected to the WCSO's Facebook page, which would give them a chance to quickly provide alerts, updates or announcements with the public. The webpage will eventually have a link to a "Crime of the Week" or "Tip of the Week." Getting information out quickly to the public about items such as road closings will also be a focus for the WCSO through this website.

Copeland said there is a portion of the website that will get you connected with CrimeStoppers if you have a tip on a certain case in the area. He said there also be ways in which you can look up certain court cases through Oklahoma District Court Records (ODCR), Oklahoma State Court Network (OSCN), ABLE, and Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (OBN).

The link section of the WCSO's website has plenty of information for you to access. For example, Copeland said there are links about the Self-Defense Act and how you can obtain a concealed carry license through the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI). He said there are also links that will teach you how to obtain a vehicle collision report from the Department of Public Safety and much more.

Pictured is an example of the inmate search list on the WCSO's new website.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office still has its old page up on countycourthouse.org. Copeland said he spoke with the County's IT Department and they have established a link on the old website that will re-direct you to the WCSO's new website. He said the new website will be an invaluable tool full of resources and information for the public to access at any time.

WCSO has been working on this new website for 1.5 years. Copeland said they switched their inmate phone/video providers about a year ago. He said the new agreement had a connection to Lighthouse Web Designs based in Oklahoma, which made the new website possible. Lighthouse Web Designs has also made websites for the Payne County Sheriff's Office and the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office to name a few.

Copeland said Lighthouse Web Design does a lot of the back end work as far as the HTML and the different coding that is required for design and maintenance that makes the website function properly. He said the other bonus is that the website will automatically scale itself with regards to a mobile phone or tablet; the website will work with any digital platform you are using.

The hope is that the website will not only be a useful tool for everyone in Washington County, but that it would also help the WCSO lower its phone call volume. Copeland said this will allow someone to look on the website to see if someone they know is in the WCSO's Detention Center as opposed to calling the Sheriff's Office and asking about that individual. He said it could help you answer any of your questions before you call the WCSO as well. 

Pictured is an example of how you can report a crime on the home page of the WCSO's new website.

Copeland said it will take time for people to remember that the new website is up, but he has no doubt that it will be incredibly beneficial. He said other Sheriff Departments across the State of Oklahoma have seen drastic reduction in their call volume, specifically to their jails, as a result of a great website. According to Copeland, having a website that can answer people's questions will help lower the call volume which could free up their staff so they can focus on the different duties and tasks that they have on hand during a regular shift.

While the WCSO will still be on hand to take your calls, Copeland said the lower call volume should help them shift their focus. Copeland said it will help the WCSO to maximize their efforts on different fronts. He said it should help them with efficiency.

There is an "About" section as well. Copeland said some of their staff is listed with a short bio about them. He encourages people to look at the website, share the URL, and get to know them.