Child Pornography: - Center for Problem-Oriented Policing

Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement Team
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Launched in 1995 the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Team is a multiagency
task force assembled to address crimes against children. The Team is composed of federal,
state, and local investigators who pose as minors in Internet chat rooms and engage in electronic
conversations with potential sexual predators. Team members include representatives
from numerous law-enforcement agencies such as the US Attorney's Office, FBI, US
Customs Service, US Postal Inspection Service, California Departments of Correction and
Justice, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office, and the Los Angeles Police Department. All
are deputized US Marshals to enable them to serve federal warrants among other things. 476
Operating under a Memorandum of Understanding the SAFE Team is organized on the
three guiding principles noted below. These principles are reflective of the model special taskforce
approach.
• criminal-justice agencies must overcome turf issues and work together as a true
multidisciplinary task force
• criminal-justice agencies and victim services providers must recognize and attend to
the needs of sexually exploited children
• effective intervention requires proactive identification of suspects and vulnerable
children 477
The Team is governed by an Executive Committee that includes senior officials from
each participating agency. Team efforts are reviewed quarterly by the Committee, and the
Committee also sets future Team goals and plans. In addition to staffing the Executive Committee,
each participating agency is responsible for recruiting and providing experienced staff
for the SAFE Team. Once onboard, the work of SAFE agents is carefully documented
through such management tools as biweekly meetings, monthly summaries, extensive case
tracking, and a series of administrative forms to help structure the Team's day-to-day operations.
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The SAFE Team does not directly provide victim services but it does work closely with
child-protection agencies and advocates throughout its jurisdiction. 479 SAFE agents also routinely
notify service providers of the Team's work and involve providers when child victims
are identified and located. In return providers have arranged to lead victim services training
for the SAFE Team on issues such as child development and children's perspectives on testifying.
Child Exploitation Unit
Dallas Police Department
The Child Exploitation Unit (CEU) of the Dallas (Texas) Police Department is a nationally
recognized law-enforcement unit responding to child pornography. The Unit is part of the
Youth and Family Crimes Bureau. It uses six detectives to investigate out-of-family pornography
and other offenses and two detectives to manage covert and sting operations. 480 It also
works closely with the Dallas County District Attorney's Office and Dallas Children's
Advocacy Center.
Much of the Unit's work is self-generated through sting operations and extensive monitoring.
Once a lead is produced the Unit works to investigate child-sexual-exploitation cases
as thoroughly as possible. Unit officers work to gather evidence of pornography in sexual-
48 - CHILD PORNOGRAPHY: THE CRIMINAL-JUSTICE-SYSTEM RESPONSE