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Crime & Safety

Police Partners with Federal Agency to Reduce Internet Crimes

Crystal Lake Police will join a U.S. Imigration and Customs Enforcement task force targeting cyber crimes.

The Crystal Lake Police Department has joined a federal task force which will increase its level of investigation and law enforcement relating to computer crimes such as identity theft, child pornography and financial Internet scams. 

The Cyber Crimes Investigation Group is headed by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the main investigative branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. By participating in the task force, Crystal Lake police will benefit from accessing Federal databases, equipment, training, and experts in fugitive tracking and computer forensics. 

The police department as a matter of course works with different federal agencies as needed, but participating in a task force creates an ongoing professional relationship with ICE, according to Chief David Linder. 

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One individual from the police department will undergo training who will on a limited basis assist ICE as part of that training and can eventually work larger cases. That individual will bring that knowledge and skill level back to Crystal Lake, Linder said. 

“So if we have a victim here in Crystal Lake that reports a crime to us, that one person will be somewhat of a specialist on how he’ll go about it and he’ll have the credentials that will allow him to do it,” he said.

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The collaboration will be useful if the department has trouble tracking an offender with use of ICE’s equipment, as in the case of non-local or international offenders. 

“Being able to work with the federals on that level allows us access to their data bases, their equipment, their expertise and their ability to look at computers,” Linder said. 

Linder said many child pornography, identity theft and Internet scams are often international crimes. Victims of cyber crimes will benefit from enhanced police service due to the access police will have due to access to equipment, training and information. 

“We have occurrences of identity theft certainly, and we have occurrences of people who are reporting crimes that had computer use involvement in that,” he said. “We have enough that it will certainly be a benefit not only to the police department but to citizens here in terms of what we can offer them.” 

There is no cost to the city or the department for the training or participation in the task force. 

ICE Spokeswoman Gail Montenegro said that the agency uses the latest technology to collect evidence and track those who use the Internet to commit crimes, particularly the exploitation of children through the use of websites, chat rooms and other means. 

“ICE routinely partners with local law enforcement agencies to identify and apprehend those who use cyber space to exploit children, and is very proud to acknowledge the creation of a cyber investigations partnership with the Crystal Lake Police Department,” she said. 

The City Council unanimously approved the resolution for the partnership at its regular meeting Jan. 15.

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