The News Room [News Release]

Sheriff Contact: John Roach: 313-224-0615
Release Date: September 13, 2004

Sheriff’s Office now has tool to let parents protect kids from Internet predators --- Deputies distributing 9,000 disks that monitor computer, online activity

The deputies who may have caught more Internet child sex predators than any cyber cops in the country now have a tool that allows parents to protect their kids from home. Wayne County Sheriff Warren Evans announced today that his Internet Crime Unit is distributing 9,100 Computer Cop CDs that help parents to monitor their kids’ computer and online activity – without tipping the children off.

In the 18 months since Evans re-established the Internet Unit, undercover deputies have arrested more than 50 adult men who thought they were arranging a meeting with a 13- or 14-year-old girl for sex. Despite the units’ success – and its impressive 100 percent conviction rate – far too many child predators are still trolling cyberspace looking for vulnerable children, Evans said.

“Our officers receive hundreds of sexually explicit overtures each month from adult men. A small unit like our can only catch so many of them, so we are trying to enlist parents to become their kids’ first line of defense against predators,” Evans said.

Evans said his office is able to distribute the disks, which have a retail value of $40, for free thanks to a $25,000 grant provided by Governor Jennifer Granholm and the support of the Wayne County Commission, which recently approved the purchase. The Computer Cop Corp., out of Bohemia, NY, manufactures the software and disks and customizes them for local law enforcement agencies.

Disk captures chat and email text
Each time a parent places the disk into the CD drive of a computer, the program automatically launches without having to install anything on the computer that might tip kids off that they are being monitored. The program has a library of words that it looks for which might raise a red flag for parents and highlights them on the screen. Those would include anything violence, sex or drug related, including slang terms and their definintion.

Although a version of this product distributed by many police agencies is limited to those basic functions, Evans felt it was important to him that his officers distribute the more powerful version that allows parents to capture the full text of any outgoing email and chat room messages.

“That’s where kids get into the most trouble,” Evans said. “Looking at something on a computer screen is one thing, but it’s when a predator establishes communication with a child that he or she is at a very real risk of being victimized.”

The disk also includes a video introduction from Evans and a computer safety video to help parents understand the basics of how to monitor and talk to their children about their activities. But Evans said he hopes the disk might help his officers catch a predator that they might not have otherwise known about.

“Our hope is that parents take this disk and put it to good use. If they find anything that suggests their child may be communicating with a predator, they should call our Internet Crime Unit right away at 313-875-9676 so we can take appropriate action,” Evans said.

Where to pick up a copy
In addition to distributing its Computer Cop CDs at various community events, disks also will be available at the following locations, Thursday, September 16th.

:: what you should do if you suspect your child is communicating with a sexual predator online ::

» Go To Top