Media Release

OACP Lauds Police Services For Largest Coordinated Child Pornography Sweep in the History of Ontario

(Toronto, ON) – The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) today praised the efforts of 15 polices services across the province which resulted in the arrest of 22 individuals in the largest coordinated child pornography sweep in the history of Ontario.

The arrests were carried out by The Provincial Strategy To Protect Children From Sexual Abuse And Exploitation On The Internet. This multi-jurisdictional strategy is made up of the Ontario Provincial Police and 18 municipal police services from across the province, 14 of which were involved in the sweeping arrests that occurred. Police services in Ontario, through the OACP, developed the Provincial Strategy, a systematic, victim-driven, all-encompassing approach to the prevention of child sexual abuse and exploitation on the Internet.

From April 1 to December 31, 2007, the Provincial Strategy completed 1,515 investigations and laid 539 charges.

The arrests come on Safer Internet Day, a day recognized in 43 countries world-wide to highlight the need to make the Internet a safe and useful tool for our children to access for both educational and personal use."

The OACP remains committed to working through our members services in partnership with the Government of Ontario and our communities to make the Internet safe for our children.