Bainbridge Island City Council members approved a move to continue their current sex and kidnapping offender program.

The Bainbridge Island Police Department has participated since 2008 in a state program that requires officers to make face-to-face contact with registered offenders on the island.

With the council’s approval Wednesday, the police department will be enrolling in another year to receive a $1,000 grant from the state to help enforce the program.

Bainbridge Island has nine registered sex offenders living in the area.

As part of the program officers are required to make face-to-face verification every six months of a Level I or II offender’s residence. They are required to verify a Level III offender’s residence every three months.

After verification, officers must submit a contact list to the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office.

If an offender is found to no longer be living at the registered residence, the county sheriff’s office will investigate and pursue a charging decision with the county prosecutor’s office.

On the chance that a new Level III offender moves into the jurisdiction, a press release must be submitted to the local media and the community to be notified by the police department.

The program grant amounts to less than 1 percent of the police department’s annual budget. Despite being approved, no budget changes are required.

The council unanimously approved the grant application at its Wednesday meeting.