The rhode island internet crimes against children (riicac) task force, under the administration of the rhode island state police, has served as an independent internet crimes against children (icac)…

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded the Rhode Island Department of Public Safety a $383,874 Cooperative Agreement on October 1, 2025, under the Missing Children's Assistance program (CFDA 16.543) to expand the Rhode Island Internet Crimes Against Children (RIICAC) Task Force.

RIICAC, administered by the Rhode Island State Police and operational since November 2007, investigates cyber enticement, child pornography, and online child victimization cases statewide. The award funds investigative and forensic personnel expansion, specialized training in emerging investigative techniques, and updated forensic software and hardware to support reactive and proactive criminal investigations. The funding also supports targeted educational campaigns on internet safety and online child victimization prevention directed at law enforcement personnel, juveniles, parents, and educators across Rhode Island.

The award period runs through September 30, 2026, with place of performance in North Scituate, Scituate, Rhode Island. The parent recipient is the State of Rhode Island; the immediate recipient is the Rhode Island Department of Public Safety, which serves as the administering agency for Justice Department grant programs statewide.

The rhode island internet crimes against children (riicac) task force, under the administration of the rhode island state police, has served as an independent internet crimes against children (icac) task force since november 2007. Riicac continues to work tirelessly to fulfill the national icac mission to develop and provide an effective response to cyber enticement and child pornography cases within the state of rhode island. Riicac understands that its service to the over one million residents within the state includes not only reactive criminal investigations against perpetrators of online child victimization but also proactive criminal investigations against individuals utilizing the internet to communicate with and offend future victims. Additionally, riicac believes that its service to the state of rhode island includes providing educational campaigns tailored to various audiences, including fellow law enforcement personnel, juveniles and their parents, and educators. According to the most recent united states census population estimates, 19% of rhode islands population is under the age of 18. These juveniles are vulnerable to online child victimization. Riicac understands that childhood victimization can potentially impact normal functioning later in adulthood, as well as the impact that impaired functioning may have on society. Therefore, IT is riicacs mission to not only investigate and prosecute these crimes but also to prevent them. With grant funds, riicac plans to meet the local and national task force goals and objectives through the inclusion of additional personnel to keep up with the demands of investigative and forensic analysis, continued specialized training in emerging investigative techniques, and updated forensic software and hardware, as well as continued targeted educational campaigns to local communities on internet safety and online child victimization.