Congressman J. Randy Forbes

Virginia’s Fourth Congressional District

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Christy Boardman/Tinisha Weigelt

May 11, 2006

(202) 225-6365

Virginia State Police Receives $450,000

to Combat Internet Crimes Against Children

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman J. Randy Forbes announced that $450,000 in federal funding has been awarded to the Virginia State Police Department from the U.S. Department of Justice Missing Children’s Assistance grant program to combat Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC).

“It is essential to provide our law enforcement officers the funds they need to ensure that the Internet it is not a sanctuary for pedophiles, child pornographers, and others who prey on children,” Forbes said. “Increasingly, we are more aware of how critically important it is to protect our children’s safety from those who are criminally misusing cyberspace to target and victimize children.”

The Virginia State Police will use these funds to continue its multi-agency, multi-disciplinary response to ICAC offenses that is composed of federal, State and local law enforcement agencies and child welfare organizations. This funding supports “cyber units” within the police department to investigate child sexual exploitation by offenders who are using the internet as a way to take advantage of children.

The Department of Justice funds Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces nationwide. The ICAC program encourages communities to develop regional, state or multi-state, jurisdictional, and agency responses to technology-facilitated sexual crimes against children. The task forces combine the skills of law enforcement officers, prosecutors and computer specialists throughout their regions in effective enforcement efforts against Internet crime.

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307 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515

Phone: 202-225-6365   Fax: 202-226-1170   Web: www.house.gov/forbes