WAUSHARA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT JOINS THE WISCONSIN INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN TASK FORCE
 

WAUTOMA - The Waushara County Sheriff's Department has joined the Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

"We are pleased to have you as a member of the Wisconsin ICAC Task Force and pledge our full support to you as we work together to make Wisconsin safer for our children," said Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen.

As part of this affiliation, the Waushara County Sheriff's Department is eligible for:

• Reimbursement to help fund ICAC related expenses, including computer hardware and software;
• Notification of and priority for sought-after ICAC related training, offered both nationally and in Wisconsin;
• Investigative assistance from highly trained ICAC investigators and forensic computer analysts throughout the state;
• Access to national ICAC email group;
• Recognition on both the Waushara County Sheriff Department's website, and on the Wisconsin Department of Justice website;

"Being a part of the ICAC Team will enable our Department to be proactive in protecting the youth of Waushara County from being victimized by unscrupulous perpetrators," stated Sheriff David Peterson.

Sheriff Peterson will serve as the Internet Crimes Against Children contact person with the Waushara County Sheriff's Department. He can be reached at (920) 787-3321.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Wisconsin Department of Justice Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. "In the past decade, Wisconsin's ICAC Task Force and Affiliate Agencies have arrested 540 suspects, executed 647 search warrants, and rescued countless numbers of children throughout the state," said Van Hollen.

According to Van Hollen, there are over 22,304 internet protocol addresses in Wisconsin containing and offering to distribute known images of child pornography. One in seven children are asked by an adult online to engage in sexual activities, sexual talk, or provide personal sexual information.

Attorney General Van Hollen has placed a priority on law enforcement's proactive response to the growing problem of internet crimes against children. To that end, the Attorney General has directed a 67% increase in the number of special agents assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force within the Division of Criminal Investigation and will also be bringing on board additional computer forensic analysts to support investigations and prosecutions of Internet Crimes Against Children.

In addition to expanding investigative capacity internally, Van Hollen and the Department of Justice have continued to add additional local affiliates to the Wisconsin ICAC Task Force. The number of local law enforcement partners to the Department of Justice's ICAC Task Force has more than doubled to 60 in the past year. You can access a list of affiliates at here.

For more information on how your community can become an affiliate of the Wisconsin ICAC Task Force contact Craig Klyve at (608) 266-1221, klyvecs@doj.state.wi.us or Kris Midthun at (715) 839-3831, midthunkm@doj.state.wi.us.