Park Falls Police Department Joins the Wisconsin ICAC Task Force

PARK FALLS - The Park Falls 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 Park Falls 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 Park Falls Police Department's website, and on the Wisconsin Department of Justice website; 

"I am very excited for my department to be part of the ICAC Task Fore. It seems that technology has just as many negatives as positives. Internet Crimes Against our Children is one of the worst crimes that someone could commit," said Park Falls Police Chief Scott Straetz. "It leaves our children with emotional wounds that may never be healed and in many instances little evidence to solve the case. The most valuable resource we have in America is our children. The officers of the Park Falls Police Department will do whatever it takes to keep our children protected. My department will work with the ICAC Task Force to keep the children of this state out of harm's way and to bring anyone who victimizes our children to justice." 

To learn more about the ICAC Task Force program at the Park Falls Police Department, contact Chief Scott Straetz at (715) 762-2446. 

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 119 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.