January 27, 2021 at 4:34 p.m.
OC sheriff's office honored for efforts to protect children
OC sheriff's office honored for efforts to protect children
Matthew Joy, the director of the DCI's ICAC Task Force, made the presentation in person while DCI director Brian O'Keefe offered some remarks via video teleconferencing from Madison.
According to Joy, investigations into child pornography and other ICAC offenses sometimes start with "cybertips" from organizations like the Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In recent years, the number of tips has skyrocketed, he added, noting that some 36,000 tips were received last year.
"These tips are being referred to our law enforcement partners who need to find a way to appropriately and adequately investigate these referrals," Joy said. "Each one of these cybertips represents a person who, if given the opportunity, has or will commit offenses against children."
He noted that the Oneida County sheriff's office has not only prioritized investigating the tips it is sent by DCI, it has also conducted online operations. These operations involve detectives going to online dating sites and posing as children to get would-be offenders to come to Rhinelander, supposedly for sex.
"They (the sheriff's detectives) are also finding unique and innovative ways to be proactive, to go out and do undercover kinds of operations and other things to work to identify people who otherwise might not have gone detected, says a lot about this agency," Joy said.
Statewide, there are over 300 law enforcement agencies involved in ICAC prevention, he added.
"But for them (Oneida County) to be selected agency of the year, big kudos to you," Joy continued. "I know my colleagues at DCI love working with everyone here, and we're looking forward to continuing that relation with you going forward."
O'Keefe offered his congratulations to the department, especially sheriff Grady Hartman who has long put a special emphasis on internet crimes against children.
"You have been an incredible partner," O'Keefe told Hartman. "You are well ahead of the curve in all that you have the agency doing."
O'Keefe also singled out sheriff's captain Terri Hook for special praise.
"I've known Terri for many years, she is a hard worker, and I appreciate all the work that you're doing up there," O'Keefe said. "You are keeping kids safe and bad guys off the street."
Hartman congratulated his detectives and everyone involved with the ICAC program.
"A couple years ago, we had decided to set a priority with ICAC," the sheriff said. "We decided we were really going to work those cases hard, we set that equally high with heroin and methamphetamine."
"It (the work) kind of blossomed into everybody you see here in this room," he continued. "(Det Sgt. Bob Hebein has) built a really nice team, and the hard work and dedication that you guys have shown is tremendous, and you should be very proud of yourself."
"They do a great job, they all work together 24/7," Hook added, noting that this work involves a tremendous time commitment. "They are not just doing this during the day when we're at work, they're doing it all the time," she said.
In addition to detectives and uniformed deputies, members of the department staff also play a big part in the ICAC team's success, Hook added.
"We have different members of the agency participate in different ways," Hook said. "We would never be this successful if our employees didn't give up some of their time, outside of regular hours too, to do what they're doing. And we have been very successful because they have sacrificed and really placed a lot of attention on this. And the community can be really proud of the team we have in Oneida County working on Internet Crimes Against Children. Because we are taking it seriously, we know it is a serious issue, and they are doing a great job catching them."
Jamie Taylor may be reached via email at [email protected].
Comments:
You must login to comment.