Missouri Cities Step Up Fight Against Internet Crime
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), July 27, 2009 - Gov. Jay Nixon has announced that $1.5 million in grant funding has been awarded to 13 multi-jurisdictional initiatives across Missouri whose mission is to enforce the law against cyber crimes, such as illegal online enticement and child pornography. The state is allocating these federal funds to regional law enforcement agencies through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Justice Assistance Grant program.
"State and local leaders have no greater responsibility than to protect the safety of the public, but this job is made increasingly difficult as technology grows more advanced and so do the criminals who use it. Cyber crimes units that bring together law enforcement figures from several jurisdictions to fight crimes perpetrated online have proven a valuable weapon in protecting Missouri's children from predators," said Gov. Nixon. "By providing $1.5 million in funding, we ensure that cyber crimes task forces around the state will have the resources to continue these vital law enforcement programs."
Gov. Nixon announced the award of the Multi-jurisdictional Cyber Crimes Grants during public visits to the Mid-Missouri Internet Crimes Task Force in Boone County and the SEMO Cyber Crimes Task Force in Poplar Bluff.
The task forces use several methods to fight online crime. These include undercover operations, during which officers pose as minors in online chatrooms, reactive enforcement, which utilizes and investigates tips from public or local law enforcement, and forensic investigation, which analyzes the computers of suspects for evidence of crime. Public education about the dangers of online crime is also an important role of a cyber crimes task force.
The Mid-Missouri Task Force is a typical model of how a cyber crimes task force is structured; it is made up of three Boone County sheriff's deputies, one officer from the Columbia Police Department and a half-time officer from the University of Missouri Police Department. It serves Audrain, Boone, Callaway, Cole, Cooper, Howard and Randolph Counties. The Mid-Missouri Internet Crimes Task Force will receive $194,479 of the $1.5 million awarded.
The SEMO Cyber Crimes Task Force consists of officers from the Poplar Bluff Police Department, Cape Girardeau Police Department, Dexter Police Department and Scott County Sheriff's Department, and will receive $63,339 in its Multi-jurisdiction Cyber Crimes Grant award.
Other multi-jurisdictional task forces receiving grant awards are:
- The Regional Computer Crime Education & Enforcement Group in Clayton will receive $178,270.
- The South Central Missouri Computer Crime Task Force in Dent County will receive $5,759.
- The Northeastern Jackson County Cyber Crimes Working Group in Independence will receive $138,066.
- The Southwestern Missouri Cyber Crime Task Force in Joplin will receive $182,319.
- The Multi-jurisdictional Cyber Crime Unit in Kirksville will receive $49,035.
- Operation Cyber-safe at the Missouri Department of Social Services will receive $97,411.
- The Western Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force in Platte County will receive $208,591.
- The 2010 Internet Cyber Crime Initiative in Springfield will receive $82,323.
- The St. Charles County Internet Crimes Against Children program will receive $128,600.
- The Missouri State Highway Patrol's Computer Forensic Unit will receive $56,245.
- The Tri-lakes Regional Internet Crimes Task Force in Taney County will receive $115,617.
St. Louis Arts Organizations to Receive Lifeline
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), July 27, 2009 - The Missouri Arts Council (MAC), a division of the Department of Economic Development (DED), has announced that the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has awarded 10 organizations in Missouri grants totaling $650,000 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The funds from this federal stimulus are to be used to retain arts jobs that have been threatened or eliminated during the current economic downtown.
"These funds will provide some cushion to organizations that are facing tough financial decisions," said Beverly Strohmeyer, MAC Executive Director. "Through these grants arts organizations will be able to rescue positions in the organization that may have otherwise been eliminated."
Some of the organizations that will benefit are the Sheldon Arts Foundation, which will receive $50,000 that will allow them to keep on an administrative assistant post, and Dance St. Louis, which will not only be able to maintain a publicity position but will also be guaranteed to have their presentations continue.
Metropolitan Arts Council of Kansas City received $250,000, with $243,000 of those funds to be regranted to a wide range of arts organizations in the Kansas City metro area.
The NEA also announced grants totaling more than $25 million to 609 other arts organizations located throughout the nation, including the following in Missouri:
* Dance St. Louis, $50,000
* Metropolitan Arts Council of Greater Kansas City, $250,000
* Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Inc., $50,000
* Jazz St. Louis, $25,000
* Kansas City Symphony Orchestra, $50,000
* Pro Musica, Joplin, $25,000
* St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, $50,000
* Opera Theatre of St. Louis, $50,000
* Sheldon Arts Foundation, St. Louis, $50,000
* Metro Theatre Company, St. Louis, $50,000
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