November 13, 2012

Manchin, Rockefeller Announce Funds for WV Police to Protect Children Against Internet Crime

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senators Jay Rockefeller and Joe Manchin today announced more than $275,000 in federal funding to the West Virginia State Police to help law enforcement investigate and prosecute sexual exploitation against children. 

The grant will also help the West Virginia State Police upgrade their computer capabilities to help reduce the backlog of cases and streamline analysis.

“The Internet is a great resource for learning, but it can also put kids at risk,” said Rockefeller. “When kids use the Internet unsupervised, they too often become the target of bad intentions. This grant will help our West Virginia police departments and other state and local officials achieve their very important mission of keeping our kids safe online.” 

“Our children are the most precious thing we have - they are our future," Manchin said. “We must do everything we can to protect them from criminals and pedophiles who are exploiting children using the latest technology. When I was Governor, I made sure that our law enforcement personnel had all the tools they needed to keep our children safe, and I am committed to doing as the same as Senator."

The ICAC Task Force consists of state and local investigators, prosecutors, forensic specialists, and educators dedicated to the detection, investigation, and prosecution of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation of children. ICAC Task Forces around the country have reviewed over 180,000 cases of alleged victimization resulting in over 16,500 arrests since the program’s launch in 1998. The funding came from the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Rockefeller has fought to strengthen internet safety for children. He has held roundtables in West Virginia to talk about the importance of protecting children against cyber bullying, online predators, and Internet harassment, and has held Committee hearings on children’s online privacy and safety.

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