Louisiana sheriffs are backing a new mobile app that will alert parents if a registered sex offender contacts their child.

The app, Safe Virtual Neighborhood, is the newest development from OffenderWatch and parent company Watch Systems, a Covington-based company known for tracking sex offenders. Watch Systems and Louisiana’s law enforcement community have worked together since 2000, when the company launched its sex offender registry system.

The partners announced the launch of the new app at a news conference in Lafayette on Wednesday.