ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) – Law enforcement leaders are clarifying information about several local Facebook groups.

The pages in question are Tompkins County Public Safety Information, Tompkins County Predator Alert, and Finger Lakes Region Predator Alert – NYSPA Charter 3, which post public information about registered sex offenders.

In a joint statement, Sheriff Derek Osborne and Ithaca Police Chief Tom Kelly say none of these entities are affiliated with government or law enforcement and are not registered as businesses or nonprofits in New York.

We fully support and respect the right to free speech, and members of our community are free to engage with online content as they choose. However, we urge caution and encourage the public to critically assess the validity and source of information, particularly when it is presented under potentially false or misleading pretenses.

Both the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office and Ithaca Police Department maintain publicly accessible Sex Offender Registries as required by law.

You can read more here.