Hartford Police Department Joins the Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force

MADISON — The Hartford Police Department has joined the Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

“Wisconsin's ICAC Task Force is a national leader, and within the past decade, the task force and affiliate agencies have arrested hundreds of suspects," Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said, “The training of more officers by adding affiliates only furthers my mission to protect Wisconsin's children from online predators.”

As part of this affiliation, the Hartford 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 Hartford Police Department's website, and on the Wisconsin Department of Justice website.

To learn more about the ICAC Task Force program at the Hartford Police Department, contact Detective Richard Thickens at 262-670-3607.

This year marks the 12th anniversary of the founding of the Wisconsin Department of Justice Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

According to Van Hollen, there are more than 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 increased to more than 170 since Attorney General Van Hollen took office. A list of affiliates can be accessed here.

For more information on how your community can become an affiliate of the Wisconsin ICAC Task Force contact Special Agent in Charge Jenniffer Price at (608) 266-1671.