Crimes Against Children Unit and Cyber Crimes Unit work to Protect Indiana Youth

INDIANA (WTHI) - With today’s modern technology connecting with someone is as easy as a mouse-click on a picture of a friend or relative, and your safely guided to that persons page to see their latest updates. 

The biggest problem is the simple action of clicking can be done by anyone: friends, coworkers, school officials, police officers and, most dangerously, online predators.

And with more and more children and teens growing up with the technology, parents and guardians are haunted with the question of just how safe is anyone on the internet.

The Indiana State Police’s Crimes Against Children Unit (CACU) and Cyber Crimes Unity (CCU) are working together to make sure Indiana youth stays as safe as possible from sexual predators, identity thieves and other forms of online predators.

Violators of children use the Internet to exploit and victimize children in Indiana without ever actually coming in contact with the child.  

Sexually explicit images and videos of children can literally be produced and disseminated online in a matter of minutes.

 Once child pornography hits the Internet it is virtually impossible to ever remove, thus perpetuating the victimization of those violated beyond their lifetime.

The CACU and CCU are constantly trained to stay up-to-date with the changing technology, to identify ways Indiana youth can be exploited and abused from online predators, and to protect them from every possible threat.

The ISP Crimes Against Children Unit was formed in November of 1997 and the Cyber Crime Unit was formed in May of 1998.

Additional questions concerning the Crimes Against Children and Cyber Crimes Units should be directed to Lieutenant Charles Cohen at 317-232-8309 or e-mail at ccohen@isp.in.gov.

To report a crime involving online child enticement or child pornography, people are urged to contact their nearest Indiana State Police Post or call the Indiana State Police Crime Tip Line at 888-873-1694.