Two teams of dedicated crime-fighters have been working to protect Indiana youth by making an effort to put an end to child enticement, pornography, and other crimes. The Indiana State Police has a team of 14 motivated, dedicated, and highly-trained men and women of the Cyber Crimes and Crimes Against Children Units that focus on tracking down and putting behind bars those that prey on children online.
These specially-trained units conduct investigations involving online child enticement, both on-scene and centralized. Members of these units are also trained Digital Media Recovery Specialists, allowing them to conduct forensically-sound previews and investigations into computers, phones, and other media collected as evidence.
With a mobile forensics vehicle also on hand, the team can conduct on-scene forensic examinations. In 2011, five detectives assigned to the Crimes Against Children Unit performed 140 digital media recovery examinations, and evaluated and assigned 1276 cyber tips received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The team has conducted investigations that led to the arrests of 119 individuals charged in state or federal court.
The six-member team of forensic examiners in the Cyber Crimes Unit examined 304 computers, 46 loose hard drives, 385 CDs and DVDs, and 159 other pieces of digital media. The team also obtained information from 712 cell phones that were collected as evidence.
Indiana State Police Lieutenant Chuck Cohen leads these efforts, and serves as the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Commander.
To report a crime involving child enticement or child pornography, contact the nearest Indiana State Police post, or call their Crime Tip Line at (888) 873-1694.
