SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE OVER $400K IN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR NYPD TO FIGHT INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN
Department of Justice Grant Awarded to NYPD’s New York City Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force; Will Help Enhance Coordination of Enforcement & Prosecution of Crimes Against Children Cases; Better Utilize NYPD Resources in Investigations
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $430,440 in federal Department of Justice (DOJ) funding for the New York Police Department (NYPD)’s New York City Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The funding has been allocated through the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Specifically, the funds will help the NYPD increase the number of affiliate agencies within the task force and better utilize the resources of the NYPD in peer-to-peer, child enticement, child prostitution and human trafficking investigations.
“This federal funding will help the NYPD’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force better protect our children from being targeted online,” said Senator Schumer. “I will continue to fight for resources to help the NYPD combat these horrible crimes against our youth.”
“These federal funds will allow the NYPD’s New York City Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force to invest in the resources necessary to help keep our children and families safe,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Increasing coordination between the agencies would help the NYPD take important safeguards to help victims of these offenses.”
New York City’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force will dedicate the funding towards expanding both local and federal agencies respective memberships and involvements within the task force, in order to receive their resources and extend the task force’s jurisdiction across state and international borders. The task force utilize the addition of the five District Attorney’s Offices to enhance the coordination of the enforcement and prosecution of crimes against children cases.
The task force will also use the resources within the NYPD, which include the Vice Enforcement Division’s Sexual Exploitation of Children Squad, the Vice Major Case Squad and the Youth Services Section. The use of the Vice Major Cases Squad will enhance the task force’s ability to investigate peer-to-peer, child enticement, child prostitution, and human trafficking investigations. The NYPD’s Youth Services will increase the task forces ability to spread its awareness and outreach programs to a larger audience within each community.
The National Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program consists of State and local law enforcement task forces dedicated to developing effective responses to online enticement of children by sexual predators, child exploitation, child obscenity and pornography cases.
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