U.S. Attorney’s Office For The Eastern District Of Tennessee Announces $564,767 In Department Of Justice Grant Funding To The Knoxville Police Department To Support The Protection Of Children

DOJ Press

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee announced today $564,767 in Department of Justice grant funding to support the Knoxville Police Department, Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program (ICAC program) helps state and local law enforcement agencies develop an effective response to technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and Internet crimes against children. This help encompasses forensic and investigative components, training and technical assistance, victim services, and community education. The grant was awarded to the Knoxville Police Department, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

The program was developed in response to the increasing number of children and teenagers using the Internet, the proliferation of child sexual abuse images available electronically, and heightened online activity by predators seeking unsupervised contact with potential underage victims. OJJDP created the ICAC Task Force Program under the authority of the fiscal year (FY) 1998 Justice Appropriations Act, Public Law 105–119. The Providing Resources, Officers, and Technology to Eradicate Cyber Threats to Our Children Act (“the PROTECT Act”) of 2008, (P.L. 110-401, codified at 42 USC 17601, et seq.), authorized the ICAC program through FY 2013. On November 2, 2017, the Providing Resources, Officers, and Technology to Eradicate Cyber Threats to (PROTECT) Our Children Act of 2017 was signed into law, reauthorizing the ICAC Task Force Program through FY 2022.

The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and strengthen the criminal and juvenile justice systems.  For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities.


Anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children is encouraged to contact local police, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678. Parents, educators and law enforcement officials can find more information and helpful resources at the ICAC website, TNICAC.org.


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