Sauk County Sheriff's Department Joins The Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force

BARABOO - The Sauk 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 Sauk 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 Sauk County Sheriff Department's website, and on the Wisconsin Department of Justice website.

Sheriff  Randy Stammen commented, "The protection of our children is and always has been a top priority for the Sauk County Sheriff's Office. Unfortunately cyberspace has provided predators with a new place to target our children for criminal acts. The technology and complexity of internet crime constantly presents new challenges for law enforcement across the nation. Becoming an affiliate ageny of ICAC will provide added resources at a local level to identify and prosecute these predators."

If you have information about a person in Sauk County that is falling victim to a child predator or would like more information about this program, please contact Lt. Mike Stoddard at (608)-355-3204 at the Sauk County Sheriff's Department.

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 online to engage in sexual activities, sexual talk, or provide personal sexual information.

Van Hollen has placed a priority on law enforcement's proactive response to the growing problem of internet crimes against children. To that end, Van Hollen 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. Van Hollen's 2009-11 budget request for the Department of Justice includes a request for five additional special agents and criminal analysts to protect our children from sex predators who utilize the Internet to prey on 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 76 in the past year. You can access a list of affiliates.

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.