BEDFORD COUNTY (WSLS 10) - Bedford County has one of the highest concentrations of sex offenders per capita in Virginia.
According to the virginia sex offender registry, there are 197 sex offenders in Bedford County.
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But the high number could actually be attributed to the strong work of local police. The Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is based in Bedford County.
Sergeant M.C. Davis with the Virginia State Police Sex Offenders Investigative Unit believes presence and training for local officers gives them a leg up when it comes to investigating these cases.
Sgt. Davis explained, "If you get more training and you get more exposure and you come across something it triggers thought processes and it triggers investigations that might have been overlooked otherwise."
There are more than 1,800 total registered sex offenders in Southwest Virginia.