DENVER -- It is supposed to be an easy process of going to your local police station to view the sex offender registry. If you want a copy, it's a nominal fee.

So, is it that simple?

7NEWS took our hidden camera to local police precincts to find out.

In Aurora, we were asked for some proof that we lived in the area, as expected. The clerk then collected a $5 fee and printed us a copy of the sex offender registry for the area.

In Northglenn, it was just as simple. Since we didn't have a Northglenn address, we showed the clerk an ad in the paper for an apartment and asked if we might see the registry to see whether there might be sex offenders in the same complex, should we want to move in.

No problem -- we got a copy for less than $3.

A list of more than 1,100 sex offenders was right at the front desk of a Denver district station.

Lt. Kelli Quinones said that since the Supreme Court ruling, there has been renewed interest in the list.

In Denver, to get a copy of the registry you simply need a request form.

"You fill in the form and you mail in a check for $5 and within about four working days, you will receive the registry back at your residence in the mail," Quinones said.

Why is all this important to you?

In Northglenn, we picked a random apartment for rent and checked the address against the sex offender registry. We found four sex offenders in the same complex and two others within a few blocks.

So, it's important to be informed.