Bayfield County Sheriff's Office Joins the WI Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force

BAYFIELD - The Bayfield County Sheriff's Office 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 Bayfield County Sheriff's Office 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 the national ICAC email group;
• Recognition on both the Bayfield County Sheriff Office's website, and on the Wisconsin Department of Justice website;

"The Bayfield County Sheriff's Office is pleased to be a member of the Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. As a small department we lack much of the expertise to investigate internet crime. Membership in the ICAC Task Force will provide us the resources to more adequately protect our children from internet predators," said Bayfield County Sheriff Robert Follis. "We are looking forward to partnering with Attorney General Van Hollen and the members of the Wisconsin Department of Justice Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force."

To learn more about the ICAC Task Force program at the Bayfield County Sheriff's Office, contact Chief Deputy Paul Susienka at (715) 373-6300 or via e-mail at psusienka@bayfieldcounty.org. 

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 678 suspects, executed 939 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.

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 quadrupled to 111 since Attorney General Van Hollen took office. You can access a list of affiliates at http://www.doj.state.wi.us/dci/icac/afflist.asp.

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