President signs bill reauthorizing nationwide task force programs that help protect children, prosecute online predators

The Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force will continue its efforts help state and local police departments and prosecutors prevent, investigate and respond to technology-enabled crimes against children under a bill signed into law on Friday.

Established in 2008, the ICAC Task Force program consists of 61 coordinated task forces across the country with representatives from 3,500 federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies. The program offers assistance with forensic investigations, victim support, technical assistance and training, and community support and education.

The Providing Resources, Officers and Technology to Eradicate Cyber Threats to Our Children (PROTECT Our Children) Act, reauthorizes the ICAC Task Force program. The bipartisan bill was introduced by U.S. Sens. Dean Heller (R-NV), John Cornyn (R-TX) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

“I applaud the president for signing our bill to help protect children from predators,” Heller said. “This bipartisan legislation will empower local law enforcement — like police departments across Nevada — with the tools they need to more effectively pursue criminals who abuse and exploit children. I thank Sens. Cornyn and Blumenthal for their leadership on this proposal, and I’m honored to have been part of the team to push it over the finish line.”

Blumenthal said the task force programs reauthorized under the PROTECT Our Children Act would help state and local law enforcers protect children from abuse, protect survivors and prosecute perpetrators.

“This significant bipartisan bill is a solid step forward in the fight against predators and the horrific crime of child exploitation – and a warning against any criminal who would exploit our children online,” Blumenthal said. “I am proud to see this critical measure become law.”