Wisconsin's governor pushes his plan to strengthen enforcement and prevention efforts to keep kids safe online. Today's kids are spending a lot more time online, so Governor Jim Doyle says we need to be more vigilant in protecting them. "They better not mess with kids from Wisconsin."
Doyle says his new initiative involves doubling staffing for Wisconsin's Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce. The governor wants potential online child sex offenders to know that, while hoping to prey on innocent kids, there's a good chance they're actually communicating with a law enforcement officer. Doyle says Wisconsin has been — and continues to be — a leader in cracking down on online child sex predators. "We will double staffing for the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce with three new Division of Criminal Investigation agents. And in addition, we'll recruit an elite team of retired law enforcement officers following the model of what we have done with the safe initiative for finding those sex offenders who are supposed to be registered."
Doyle says the Unit will also hold workshops and training exercises for teachers, parents, police and prosecutors to prevent kids from being victimized in the first place.