The Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) has selected the Virginia State Police (VSP) to oversee the Northern Virginia/District of Columbia (NOVA/DC) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.  The program requires existing task forces to develop multijurisdictional, multiagency responses to internet crimes against children and provides funding and other support to law enforcement agencies as a means to help them acquire and develop specialized knowledge, personnel, and equipment. Due to previous ICAC awards, the Sheriff’s Office was able to perform online stings that resulted in four arrests in a six month period using the FY 2016 funding and in twelve arrests in a six month period using the FY 2017 funding.

VSP received funding through DCJS to provide for reimbursement of expenses associated with investigations and prosecutions of internet crimes against children.  The VSP has appropriated a sub-award of $12,000 to the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office.  The Sheriff’s Office has opted to spend these funds on overtime, associated fringe benefits, and on technological equipment.  The grant will provide $11,210 to cover the cost of overtime and associated fringe benefits of FICA, Medicare and workers’ compensation for ICAC investigations.  The remaining $790 of this funding will be spent on two iPads and two years’ worth of AppleCare protection for the devices, which will be used in ICAC investigations.  All expenses associated with this project are specifically and exclusively related to the NOVA/ICAC Task Force’s overall mission of combating internet crimes against children.  All non-payroll reimbursement requests must be submitted by April 15, 2018, with payroll-related reimbursement requests required by June 10, 2018.  There is no local match requirement and no requirement to continue to fund the program after the grant award expires.

Captain Roger Harris II, Sheriff’s Office

Captain Elizabeth Scott, Sheriff’s Office