Maple Bluff Police Department Joins the Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force

MADISON - The Maple Bluff Police 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 Maple Bluff Police 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 the national ICAC email group; 
• Recognition on both the Maple Bluff Police Department's website, and on the Wisconsin Department of Justice website;  

(Quote from Chief Tim Krueger)

"The constantly changing social networking opportunities and technologies available on the internet, continues to be a great danger for children and adults everywhere," said Tim Krueger, Police Chief of the Maple Bluff Police Department. "My first ICAC arrest was in 1999, and since then, internet crimes against children have expanded greatly." 

"The Maple Bluff Police Department's association with the Department of Justice ICAC Task Force, is our proactive commitment to the protection of all children from those predators who stalk them on the internet. I am grateful for Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen and his leadership in protecting Wisconsin's children." 

To learn more about the ICAC Task Force program at the Maple Bluff Police Department, contact Sgt. Anne Murphy at (608) 244-1430 or via e-mail at mbsgtmurphy@hotmail.com.   

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 639 suspects, executed 808 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 116 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.