Polk County, Fla., Sheriff Grady Judd started his career in law enforcement in 1972. In 2004 he was elected sheriff and since then has taken on the task of ridding his jurisdiction of child pornography. While the work is difficult, Judd said, “protecting children from sexual exploitation far outweighs the challenges faced each day doing the job.”1. You’ve arrested nearly 200 people on child porn charges since 2006. Are there really that many bad people in Polk County or is there another reason for your high numbers?
Yes, I’m afraid there are that many people involved in collecting child pornography locally; and there are more — we are working hard to find them. While 200 suspects may sound like a high number, per capita, Polk County is no different than any other county in Florida, or the nation for that matter. The Internet, for all its value, has enabled more people to have easier access to these kinds of vile, debasing materials. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has focused its attention on these crimes because of the danger pedophiles represent to our children.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Computer Crimes unit has more than doubled in size in recent years, and we are on the leading edge in expertise, training and technology to protect children from Internet-facilitated exploitation. With a similar dedication to curtailing the growing epidemic of child pornography, or the victimization of children in general, any other law-enforcement agency could produce comparable results.
An example I like to use to illustrate this point is related to enforcement of illegal narcotics laws: If an agency ignores a drug problem in the community, it will make few arrests, making it appear as if there is not a significant drug problem (small number of arrests = small problem?). But in reality, a higher number of drug arrests likely indicate that an agency takes the local illegal drug problem seriously, and it is willing to take assertive action against drug dealers. The same is true regarding child pornography.
2. Your office is the hub of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. What are you doing to identify and arrest people illegally obtaining child porn online?
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has four full-time detectives and three full-time forensic specialists in the Computer Crimes Unit. These detectives and forensic specialists work diligently to locate people residing within Polk County who download and/or share child pornography online. We also actively share training and information with other agencies regarding these investigations. Through specialized techniques and technologies, our detectives are able to locate the residence where the child pornography is being downloaded. We do not discuss the specific methods we are using so that the suspects do not develop ways to avoid detection.
3. Why is it so difficult for many law-enforcement agencies to pursue these crimes?
Online investigations are time consuming, and they require hours of training, specialized tools and equipment. These investigations require a commitment from law-enforcement leadership. They also require a strong and committed prosecutor who is trained in these types of offenses. We are very fortunate to have the complete support of 10th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Jerry Hill and Assistant State Attorney Brad Copley. Both are outstanding, dedicated and experienced prosecutors.
4. Can people help in the fight against child pornography?
Citizens are most helpful when they report suspicious activity such as an unfamiliar person taking photos of children near playgrounds, schools, bus stops or any other place where children are likely to gather. Parents also need to take an active role in monitoring their child’s online activity and phone history. Internet predators tend to target children who spend a significant amount of time online.
Ultimately, child pornography and other crimes against children are difficult to prevent and investigate. Sadly, a child is most likely to be victimized by a relative, neighbor or someone else they know. Most child pornography is created by people close to the victim. Therefore, parents and guardians must take an active role in their children’s lives — they must know where their children are and with whom. Children must be educated about “good-touch” and “bad-touch,” and they should be taught that it is OK to tell their parents, teachers, and friends if they are inappropriately touched by anyone — a friend, relative or adult. Churches, too, can work with parents and children to present age-appropriate and values-appropriate education for our children. Responsible adults and educated children are the first defense, not law enforcement.
5. What’s at the heart of your mission to protect the children of Polk County?
I know this sounds hackneyed, but children really are our most precious resource — they represent the future of our civilized society. Our most solemn responsibility is to protect our children. Through education and enforcement, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office is working to make Polk County as safe as possible for children. By consistently arresting those who prey on our children, Polk County has become known for its zero-tolerance approach to predators. Child-pornography and child-predator investigations help us to identify and arrest those who are, by definition, predisposed to exploit or harm our children, thereby preventing them from physically abusing a child.
Our goal is to wipe out child pornography from Polk County. While our deputies are limited to the 2,000 square miles of Polk County, we are working together with other agencies to provide them with the training, equipment and the leads necessary to perform these investigations within their jurisdictions. This is only possible with the assistance of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program and support from other law-enforcement partners, such as the Florida Attorney General’s Office. Working together, we can significantly reduce the proliferation of child pornography.
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