ORLANDO, Fla. -- Authorities in Florida on Thursday introduced a high-tech alert system that helps people keep track of sex offenders and predators.

The new feature, which is free at www.floridasexoffender.net, allows registered users to enter numerous street addresses, such as a home, workplace or school. When a sex offender or predator moves into that specified area, an e-mail alert about the offender and his or her address will be sent to the user, officials said.

"You can be safe in your neighborhood and your kids can be safe. This is an amazing step forward in protecting families in Florida," Orange-Osceola State Attorney Lawson Lamar said.

"One of the places I use to take my children, I used to take them to daycare, which wasn't a school it was at someone's home. I didn't know who lived next door from them. I didn't know who lived on their street. Now, I would," Joyce Dawlye of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said.

The new feature also allows users to monitor specific sex offenders. Whenever the specific offender updates his or her information or new address, the user will receive an e-mail alert informing them of the update.

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