DENVER -- Colorado's top cop on Thursday called for changes to the state's sex offender registries.

Attorney General Ken Salazar said that Colorado's sex offender registry system lags behind other states, leading to inaccuracies and creating barriers for people who want the lists.

Salazar said that Colorado needs a statewide online registry to reduce errors now found in the sex offender lists that are maintained by local police departments.

These errors were highlighted in a recent 7NEWS investigation.

Current problems have allowed an unknown number of sex offenders to avoid registration, even though it is required by law. Even if they are registered, sometimes the addresses are invalid, 7NEWS investigative reporter Tony Kovaleski said.

Salazar believes that only one agency, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, should maintain the list, and that it should be accessible to the public for free.

Currently, people who want the list must prove that they are residents of the city for which they are making the request. And in many cities, residents are charged up to $5 for each list.

He also believes that sex offenders should be entered into the system as soon as they're convicted.

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"Under the current system, registration of convicted sex offenders upon release is dependent upon the sex offender taking the initiative to register," Salazar said. "The system should be changed so that the sentencing court enters the name, conviction, and sentencing information onto the statewide CBI registry the day that the offender is sentenced. The advantage of this early registration is that a complete list of those who should be registering will already exist and the updating of their new or subsequent residence addresses need only be verified and entered."

Salazar's announcement on Thursday was prompted by Gov. Bill Owens' executive order last week to set up a task force to track down and arrest sex offenders who have not registered as required by law.

The governor ordered a task force made up of corrections officials, judges, the attorney general and police to streamline sex offender registries kept by 340 police and sheriff's agencies throughout the state.

CBI Director Robert Cantwell told reporters Thursday that the central registry is a good idea, as long as law enforcement agencies can keep track of sex offenders in their area.

Cantwell also said that a new state system for Internet access to police records will go online in a few months, at an estimated cost of $5 a search, and he said it may be possible to add a sex offender registry. He said if the Legislature decides the information should be free, additional money would have to be appropriated.

Colorado Bureau of Investigation Convicted Sex Offenders