Savin program gives victims way to track offenders

MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. — Sheriffs from across the state gathered for the reintroduction of Savin.

It’s an automated victim information and notification system.

“You may not wake up in the morning thinking, ‘I think I’d like to be a crime victim today,’ but yet you might very well be before the day is over. Wouldn’t it be nice to know of a program that you can dial a 1-800 number, or go on a website, or go on an app and you can register once you’re a crime victim,” said Gary Cordell, state coordinator for Savin.

The service allows for the victim to be notified of the status of an offender in real time.

“If a person is a victim or a family member of a victim, then it’s important for them to know where that person is that’s been incarcerated for the crime they’ve committed and to be able to follow through,” said Madison County Sheriff John Mehr.

Crockett County Sheriff Troy Klyce says the service can be used by not only the victim, but the media as well.

He says it has helped so much within the law enforcement community already.

“Before Savin, you feel that responsibility to try to notify the crime victims and sometimes that fell through the cracks. Sometimes it just wasn’t completed or everybody just wasn’t on the same page, and it’s so easy to do when you’ve got so many moving parts,” Klyce said.

Cordell says even though Tennessee is ranked number one with the most registers of the tool, so many people still don’t even know it exists.

“A lot don’t. I would say that 99 percent of the people in Tennessee don’t know that this exist, but the percentages of being a crime victim are much higher than that, so you’re going to need to have it when you need it,” Cordell said.

For information on how to register for the service, click here. You can also register by calling (888)-868-4632.