San Jose Police Department to Receive Funds

Media Contact: Heather Wong (Lofgren), 202-225-3072; Jay Staunton (Honda): 202-225-2631

Washington, DC – Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and Congressman Mike Honda (D-San Jose) announced today that the San Jose Police Department has been awarded a $400,000 grant to investigate child sexual exploitation by offenders using the Internet or online communications technology.  

“This funding will allow the San Jose Police Department to continue its efforts to inform parents and teachers about this problem, and it will help law enforcement professionals working on child victimization cases aggressively pursue these predators and better protect our children while they are online” said Congresswoman Lofgren.

"Children are our most precious assets, and we must do everything we can to ensure their safety in this age of technological interaction in which unsuspecting kids can be targeted by on-line predators," Congressman Honda said.  "The Internet is an invaluable educational tool, and we want to ensure that young people can utilize its research and recreational opportunities without exposing them to potential exploitation.  Working with the San Jose Police Department, this funding will help us achieve that level of safety." 

Using funding provided by the Fiscal Year 2004 Appropriations Act to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the San Jose Police Department will continue its multi-disciplinary response to Internet Crimes against Children offenses that is composed of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and child welfare organizations.  Types of work to be done by this funding include: 1) conducting reactive and proactive Internet Crimes Against Children investigations; 2) developing a prevention education program; 3) establishing a case management system; 4) developing standardized protocol for interagency referrals; and 5) increasing forensic and investigative capacity through the acquisition of additional specialized training and equipment.