Monday, April 17, 2006
Police Department offers Internet safety training
Courses designed to help families
safely navigate online sites such as MySpace.com
Parents and the community at large have become increasingly alarmed by reports of sexual predators who prowl online networking sites, such as MySpace.com, seeking to connect with naïve or unwary children and young teens.
Recent arrests in Redlands, as well as other communities, and media reports have lent credence to their misgivings as pedophiles use the Internet to gain the trust of teens and arrange to meet them face to face.
“In the last six months, we’ve had several cases where teen-agers and adults have met online,” says Redlands Police Detective Rachel Kelly.
In order to better investigate such activity and work proactively to prevent victimization of young teens, the Redlands Police Department has joined the regional Internet Crime Against Children task force.
The danger of vulnerable teens surfing the web, where they can be preyed upon by sexual predators is real, but with proper caution and supervision, the Internet can be a powerful and safe tool for the whole family.
“We need to be proactive about teaching our youth how to use a really great tool in a safe way,” Kelly points out.
Parents, grandparents, caregivers and educators of young teens should become aware not only of the potential perils of Internet social networking sites but also the precautions they can take to ensure the safety and security of the web.
“You wouldn’t let your child receive mail or packages from strangers unsupervised,” says Redlands Police Investigator Aneta Deutscher. “Why would you let them get on the Internet unsupervised?”
“You need to control your kids’ computer just like you would control any other environment they’re in,” agrees Lori Cooper, an investigator in the department’s High-Tech Crime Unit.
The Redlands Police Department has scheduled a series of Internet Safety Classes to provide community members with the information and tools necessary to ensure a safe online experience for their families.
“I think a lot of parents are intimidated because they’re not tech-savvy,” says Cooper. “They rely on their kids to tell them what they’re doing. But it’s not that difficult to get online and familiarize yourself with sites like MySpace.”
The 90-minute classes will be taught by members of the Redlands Police Department’s High-Tech Crime Unit and Investigative Bureau and will include information about sites such as MySpace.com, how parents and others can increase their awareness of children’s online activity, and tools, such as filtering software, that can help ensure the safety and security of home computers.
“The children of our community are its most valuable asset and the RPD is committed to their safety” said Redlands Police Chief Jim Bueermann. “Parents whose adolescence did not include personal computers – much less social networking sites such as MySpace.com – need the information and the skills this course provides to help ensure the safety of their children in today’s Internet-intensive world.”
Classes are scheduled at three separate dates and locations:
The classes are free but space is limited. To register, contact Sherri Hunt at (909) 798-7659, ext. 0, Tuesdays through Fridays, or e-mail shunt@redlandspolice.org.
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safely navigate online sites such as MySpace.com
Parents and the community at large have become increasingly alarmed by reports of sexual predators who prowl online networking sites, such as MySpace.com, seeking to connect with naïve or unwary children and young teens.
Recent arrests in Redlands, as well as other communities, and media reports have lent credence to their misgivings as pedophiles use the Internet to gain the trust of teens and arrange to meet them face to face.
“In the last six months, we’ve had several cases where teen-agers and adults have met online,” says Redlands Police Detective Rachel Kelly.
In order to better investigate such activity and work proactively to prevent victimization of young teens, the Redlands Police Department has joined the regional Internet Crime Against Children task force.
The danger of vulnerable teens surfing the web, where they can be preyed upon by sexual predators is real, but with proper caution and supervision, the Internet can be a powerful and safe tool for the whole family.
“We need to be proactive about teaching our youth how to use a really great tool in a safe way,” Kelly points out.
Parents, grandparents, caregivers and educators of young teens should become aware not only of the potential perils of Internet social networking sites but also the precautions they can take to ensure the safety and security of the web.
“You wouldn’t let your child receive mail or packages from strangers unsupervised,” says Redlands Police Investigator Aneta Deutscher. “Why would you let them get on the Internet unsupervised?”
“You need to control your kids’ computer just like you would control any other environment they’re in,” agrees Lori Cooper, an investigator in the department’s High-Tech Crime Unit.
The Redlands Police Department has scheduled a series of Internet Safety Classes to provide community members with the information and tools necessary to ensure a safe online experience for their families.
“I think a lot of parents are intimidated because they’re not tech-savvy,” says Cooper. “They rely on their kids to tell them what they’re doing. But it’s not that difficult to get online and familiarize yourself with sites like MySpace.”
The 90-minute classes will be taught by members of the Redlands Police Department’s High-Tech Crime Unit and Investigative Bureau and will include information about sites such as MySpace.com, how parents and others can increase their awareness of children’s online activity, and tools, such as filtering software, that can help ensure the safety and security of home computers.
“The children of our community are its most valuable asset and the RPD is committed to their safety” said Redlands Police Chief Jim Bueermann. “Parents whose adolescence did not include personal computers – much less social networking sites such as MySpace.com – need the information and the skills this course provides to help ensure the safety of their children in today’s Internet-intensive world.”
Classes are scheduled at three separate dates and locations:
- Saturday, May 20, at 10:30 a.m., at the Redlands Community Center, 111 E. Lugonia Ave.
- Tuesday, May 23, at 6 p.m. at the Redlands Police Department, 212 Brookside Ave.
- Tuesday, May 25, at 6 p.m. at the Joslyn Senior Center Conference Room, 21 Grant St.
The classes are free but space is limited. To register, contact Sherri Hunt at (909) 798-7659, ext. 0, Tuesdays through Fridays, or e-mail shunt@redlandspolice.org.
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