City of Phoenix Police Department FY 2015 Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program

The National Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program, as established by the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008, consists of State and local law enforcement task forces dedicated to developing effective responses to online enticement of children by sexual predators, child exploitation, and child obscenity and pornography cases. Each State and local task force that is part of the national program shall: 1) consist of State and local investigators, prosecutors, forensic specialists, and education specialists who are dedicated to addressing the goals of the task force; 2) engage in proactive investigations, forensic examinations, and effective prosecutions of Internet crimes against children; 3) provide forensic, preventive, and investigative assistance to parents, educators, prosecutors, law enforcement, and others concerned with Internet crimes against children; 4) develop multijurisdictional, multiagency partnerships and responses to Internet crimes against children offenses through ongoing informational, administrative, and technological support to other State and local law enforcement agencies, as a means for such agencies to acquire the necessary knowledge, personnel, and specialized equipment to investigate and prosecute such offenses; 5) participate in nationally coordinated investigations in any case in which the Attorney General determines such participation to be necessary, as permitted by the available resources of such task force; 6) establish or adopt investigative and prosecution standards consistent with established norms, to which such task force shall comply; 7) investigate, and seek prosecution on tips related to Internet crimes against children, including tips from Operation Fairplay, the National Internet Crimes Against Children Data System, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's CyberTipline, ICAC task forces, and other Federal, State, and local agencies, with priority being given to investigate leads that indicate the possibility of identifying or rescuing child victims, including investigative leads that indicate a likelihood of seriousness of offense or dangerousness to the community; 8) develop procedures for handling seized evidence for ICAC task force lead agencies and affiliate agencies; 9) maintain reports required by OJJDP and other reports and records as determined by the Attorney General; and, 10) seek to comply with national standards regarding the investigation and prosecution of Internet crimes against children, as set forth by the Attorney General, to the extent such standards are consistent with the law of the State where the task force is located.

Under this project, the Arizona Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (AZ ICAC) will conduct proactive and reactive investigations, provide training and technical assistance to law enforcement agencies, and increase the number of Internet crimes against children offenses being investigated and prosecuted in federal and state courts in Arizona. The Phoenix Police Department (PD) will use grant funds to support overtime costs for detectives to investigate ICAC cases as well as the ICAC Task Force Commander who is responsible for coordinating and managing AZ ICAC activities and oversight of affiliate agencies. The Phoenix PD will also provide funds to the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZ DPS)to support training and personnel costs for AZ DPS computer forensic lab personnel to conduct ICAC forensic examinations; provide funding to the Arizona Office of the Attorney General to conduct community awareness outreach and training, and provide subgrants to local law enforcement affiliate agencies for ICAC training and equipment costs.
NCA/CF

The National Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) 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, and child obscenity and pornography cases. Each State and local task force that is part of the national program shall: 1) consist of State and local investigators, prosecutors, forensic specialists, and education specialists who are dedicated to addressing the goals of the task force; 2) engage in proactive investigations, forensic examinations, and effective prosecutions of Internet crimes against children; 3) provide forensic, preventive, and investigative assistance to parents, educators, prosecutors, law enforcement, and others concerned with Internet crimes against children; 4) develop multijurisdictional, multiagency partnerships and responses to Internet crimes against children offenses through ongoing informational, administrative, and technological support to other State and local law enforcement agencies, as a means for such agencies to acquire the necessary knowledge, personnel, and specialized equipment to investigate and prosecute such offenses; 5) participate in nationally coordinated investigations in any case in which the Attorney General determines such participation to be necessary, as permitted by the available resources of such task force; 6) establish or adopt investigative and prosecution standards consistent with established norms, to which such task force shall comply; 7) investigate, and seek prosecution on tips related to Internet crimes against children, including tips from Operation Fairplay, the National Internet Crimes Against Children Data System, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's CyberTipline, ICAC task forces, and other Federal, State, and local agencies, with priority being given to investigate leads that indicate the possibility of identifying or rescuing child victims, including investigative leads that indicate a likelihood of seriousness of offense or dangerousness to the community; 8) develop procedures for handling seized evidence for ICAC task force lead agencies and affiliate agencies; 9) maintain reports required by OJJDP and other reports and records as determined by the Attorney General; and, 10) seek to comply with national standards regarding the investigation and prosecution of Internet crimes against children, as set forth by the Attorney General, to the extent such standards are consistent with the law of the State where the task force is located.

The Arizona Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (AZ ICAC) will conduct proactive and reactive investigations, provide training and technical assistance to other law enforcement agencies, and increase the number of Internet crimes against children offenses being investigated and prosecuted in federal and state courts in Arizona. AZ ICAC will continue the existing multi-agency task force responses to Internet crimes against children offenses, participate in the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative, develop and deliver Internet crimes against children public awareness and prevention programs, and participate in other activities, both proactive and reactive, that will enhance investigations and prosecutions of Internet crimes against children. The Phoenix PD will also provide funds to the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZ DPS) to support training and personnel costs for AZ DPS computer forensic lab personnel to conduct ICAC forensic examinations; provide funding to the Arizona Office of the Attorney General to conduct community awareness outreach and training, and provide subgrants to local law enforcement affiliate agencies for ICAC training and equipment costs. CA/CF