Premier and Cabinet Provided with Update on New Joint Task Force

In a presentation delivered at Cabinet meetings in Bonavista by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Cabinet Ministers were offered an update regarding the accomplishments of the new Joint Task Force on Child Exploitation and Drugs.

“The establishment of the joint task force earlier this year sends a strong message to offenders that the people of Newfoundland and Labrador will not tolerate illicit drug trafficking, nor will they tolerate the harm or abuse of children, who are some of our most vulnerable citizens.” said Premier Dunderdale. “The task force has already made significant progress, focusing on targeted, short term investigations which stress province-wide collaboration. It is extremely encouraging to see solid advancements being made by the task force in protecting the families and children of our province and I look forward to seeing further results from their combined efforts.”

In their presentation to Cabinet, the province’s two police forces outlined the progress made in June by their combined police forces in addressing Internet child exploitation. The task force was involved in Operation Snapshot II, which was conducted through a partnership between the RNC, the RCMP, the Canadian Police Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, and policing agencies from across the Atlantic region. The project targeted those involved in child sexual abuse image networks within Atlantic Canada and resulted in the arrest of 22 men on various child pornography charges. Nine of these individuals were arrested in Newfoundland and Labrador.

“In recent years, improved access to technology has provided criminals with escalating opportunities to organize and network,” said the Honourable Darin King, Minister of Justice. “To confront organized networks and target those who exploit children, we must approach policing from a collaborative perspective.”

Budget 2013: A Sound Plan, A Secure Future included an investment of $1 million to establish a new Task Force on Child Exploitation and Drugs. Once fully established, the unit will consist of crime analysts, investigators, computer forensic specialists and other specialized members of both the RNC and the RCMP. In the meantime, the officers have been working diligently to identify emerging threats and issues that challenge the safety and security of communities in Newfoundland and Labrador.

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2013 07 18                       1:40 p.m.