Police Hop on the Internet

As use of the Internet grows, so, unfortunately, will high-techcrime.

Recent local cases involving kidnapping, sexual assault,counterfeiting and child pornography - all linked to the Internet -underscore how important it is that police departments be prepared todeal with computer-related crimes. To their credit, a group thattrains suburban officers is planning to do something about it.

By fall, Northeast Multi-Regional Training Inc., which trainsmore than 300 Chicago area police departments, will offer acurriculum that will give officers a basic introduction to theInternet, then teach them how to use it to search for evidence.They're moving in the right direction. These days, a basicunderstanding of how to navigate on the Internet is a useful skill inmany professions, including law enforcement. For instance, theChicago Police Department, which provides no formal Internettraining, does have a web site that is used, among other things, as aforum on community policing and to post "most-wanted" photos.The actual investigation of crimes linked to the Internetinvolves more complex issues, starting with a determination of whatInternet crime is - and isn't.Then there are right-to-privacy issues, including interpretationof confidentiality and the use of warrants to obtain information.As these issues continue to evolve, they will be closelymonitored by all parties involved, and police departments would bewise to recognize that they need training to keep on top of them.