Pandora’s Blog

Here’s some good news announced last week for those of you who live in Connecticut. Well, it’s potential good news. The governor has asked for almost 600k in stimulus money to help fight Internet predators.

As great as this is, and somewhat essential, there is already a much easier system that could be put in place today that can help fight sexual predators online – parents being aware off their child’s internet activity and using PC Pandora computer monitoring software.

4.16.09
Rell looks to target sexual predators

HARTFORD – Governor M. Jodi Rell on Monday, April 13, announced that Connecticut has applied for $584,975 in federal stimulus funds to strengthen state and local efforts to apprehend sexual predators who use the Internet to target children.

“We will never waiver in our vigilance to bring these despicable individuals to justice,” Gov. Rell said. “State and local law enforcement rely on the latest in technology and training to outwit and ultimately apprehend them.

“These stimulus funds will help ensure we have the best-trained investigators and the technology we need to keep our children and communities safe.”

The Department of Public Safety, the primary investigative and computer forensic agency in the state, submitted a detailed application on April 9, to the U.S. Department of Justice for Internet crime grants available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). Connecticut’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is composed of state troopers, local officers and civilians.

Gov. Rell said the federal funds will support comprehensive integrated efforts by state and local police departments through expanded training, forensic analysis, community awareness programs and upgraded technology.

Among other specifics, the funds will:

• Expand the Child Sexual Predator training program for first responders at the State Police Forensic Laboratory in Meriden;
• Expand Internet service, training, equipment and personnel costs for the Catch A Predator initiative for 27 specially trained local officers in undercover investigations;
• Fund efforts for more “knock-and-talks,” which put officers on the ground in neighborhoods where suspects may live;
• Expand student-to-student Sexual Predator Safety education to 60 schools a year by contracting with three additional Regional Education Service Centers;
• Purchase desktop and laptop computers, forensic hardware, cameras and other technology upgrades.

“We are putting sexual predators on notice that they cannot hide behind the anonymity of the Internet,” Governor Rell said. “Connecticut investigators will have the time, the tools and the will to end their dangerous, twisted pursuit.”

To view the application for the grant and for more information on the federal stimulus in Connecticut visit the state’s official stimulus web site at www.ct.gov and click on the Connecticut Recovery link.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 21st, 2009 at 2:43 PM and is filed under Main. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.