U.S. Embassy and Federal Police Join Efforts to Combat Child Pornography

Four-day workshop provided hands-on training to 30 Brazilian Federal Police officers on a software program that assists with the identification of individuals trading child pornography online

 From March 2-5, thirty Brazilian Federal Police officers representing twenty-three different states throughout Brazil participated in a training on the use of new technology to help combat child pornography.  The training was jointly sponsored by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, and the Brazilian Federal Police, who hosted the event.  Rodrigo de Souza Carvalho, Acting Director of the National Police Academy; Diana Calzans Mann, Supervisor of the Cyber Crimes Unit at the Federal Police Headquarters; and Brasilia ICE/HSI Attaché Cheryl Bassett kicked off the training at an opening ceremony on March 2 at that National Police Academy training facility in Brasilia.

The four-day workshop provided hands-on training on the Child Protection System, a software program used by law enforcement authorities around the world to assist with the identification of individuals and groups trading child pornography online.  Three state and local police officers from the U.S. States of Mississippi and North Carolina, who are experts in working with the software program, traveled to Brazil to provide the training.  Child Rescue Coalition, a U.S.-based non-governmental organization that partners with law enforcement and child advocates around the world to shield, rescue, and safeguard children from sexual exploitation, provided licenses for the Child Protection System software program to the Brazilian Federal Police.

During the opening ceremony, Brasilia ICE/HSI Attaché Cheryl Bassett stated, “There is no crime more heinous than the exploitation of a child.  When it comes to protecting children, the global law enforcement community is united and ready to combat this evil.”

Brazilian Federal Police Delegada, Diana Calazans Mann stated, “The training provided by the U.S. Government and Brazilian Federal Police allows federal police officers the use of a high technology tool. The two ingredients, technological tools and training, bring effectiveness to the investigations and also helps reduce levels of criminality.”

The four-day training on the Child Protection System software is part of ongoing efforts of U.S. Mission Brazil through the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs to support the Brazilian Federal Police and other Brazilian law enforcement agencies to combat child pornography and the exploitation of children.

Brazilian law enforcement agencies pro-actively engage in operations to protect children and combat the exploitation of children.  Brazilian Federal Police encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity by calling Disque 100 (dial 100) – Complaints or tips reporting websites and/or online activity involving crimes against children should be send to the following email address:Crime.internet@dpf.gov or the following website:  http://denuncia.pf.gov.br/.

Through its International Operations, HSI has 65 operational attaché offices in 46 countries around the world. HSI special agents work closely with foreign law enforcement agencies through a robust network of specialized, vetted units known as Transnational Criminal Investigative Units. Additionally, HSI brings personnel from host countries to the United States to train at the Department of Homeland Security Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia.

For more information about ICE and HSI, visit:  www.ICE.gov

For more information about the Brazilian Federal Police, visit: www.dpf.gov.br

For more information about this Press Release, media representatives should contact the press office at the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia at BrasiliaEMBEUA@state.gov or via telephone at (61) 3312-7367 / 7350 / 7364.