The Sarnia Police Service is advancing efforts to fight cyber-crime in the community. Police board members were updated Thursday on the recently implemented Internet Child Exploitation unit, which is partnered with 30 police services across the province.
Detective Constable Ken McLachlin says it's important for parents to get to know what their kids are doing online. "A lot of the instant messaging apps and software, they have help for parents where they can go online and actually see what goes on with the apps," says McLachlin. "So learn what your kids are doing online, learn about the apps that they're using so you know what they're up to."
In a second presentation Thursday, Sergeant Brent Patterson explained about the forensic extraction devices they use to access information on computers and cellphones.
He says the information aids various police investigation cases including child pornography, domestic violence and cyber bullying. "Text messages, call logs, MMS, chats on Facebook, Snapchat, Skype, movies, pictures, GPS coordinates and then you can find out where people were, Wi-Fi connections, Internet use," says Patterson, noting the list goes on and on. Sergeant Patterson says even locked files and deleted information can be accessed through the extraction devices.