EPHRATA - Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones announces that his office has launched a smartphone application that allows the office to communicate more effectively with the community.

The Grant County Sheriff's Office app is a free download for users and is available for Android smart devices, Jone said. The app is available for free at Google Play. Enter the search key phrase "WAGrantSO".

An app for iPhone is under development and will be available in a few months, Jones said.

Users of the smartphone app will have access to real-time jail inmate information, plus lists of deadbeat parents and most-wanted criminals.

"The most beneficial and significant feature of this app is that it helps us get important information right to people's fingertips," Jones said. "The app greatly improves our ability to serve the public, and that's what we're here for."

The app is also fully integrated with the county's crime victim notification service, VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday).