ONLINE PREDATORS NOW THE HUNTED TASK FORCE'S GOAL IS PROTECTING KIDS.

Byline: SUSAN ABRAM Staff Writer

The pile of reports on LAPD Detective James Brown's otherwise tidy desk tells stories of men who leave scars.

Unsolicited dirty talk. Pornographic images. Children hurt and haunted by a ``virtual'' friend who materializes into a real-life predator.

``They know everything that the kids know these days,'' Brown said of the online predators who lure children into sexually explicit language or situations.

``They talk the talk,'' Brown said. ``They know the music, the clothes, the games, the movies.

``Through the Internet, the predator has a whole new way of finding his target.''

Brown heads the nearly year-old Los Angeles Regional Internet Crimes Against Children task force.

Since January, Brown and his officers have investigated 339 complaints from parents who say their children have received graphic photographs or sexually charged messages over the Internet.

Funded by the U.S. Justice Department, the task force's top goals are to investigate the origins of child pornography, to find and arrest predators who victimize children and teens and to educate the public about online protection.

They work with local police departments, as well as with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the FBI.

So far, there are 42 such task forces nationwide. The fact that the federal government is funding the programs couldn't come at a better time, Brown said.

He is concerned about the evolving trends of luring children through interactive video games and the availability of the Internet on mobile phones.

As technology and the Internet evolve, predators become more aggressive, Brown said. And while he's not too keen on the recent spate of TV news magazines setting up situations to lure predators, Brown said those programs show how far predators will go to have sex with underage boys and girls.

``The predator has always been following our children,'' Brown said. ``But when you move their targets to the Internet, where some predator can sit at home and think they are anonymous, they are much more aggressive.''

A recent university study of 1,500 young users found that 13percent received a sexual solicitation online, while 34percent said they received unwanted exposure to sexual material.

And the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimates one in seven children are receiving unwanted solicitations. Only 10percent are reporting the crimes.

Cybertip -- a sort of 911 clearinghouse for parents and Internet service providers such as MySpace.com to report child pornography -- has logged more than 400,000 complaints since it launched in 1998, said John Shehan, of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Those complaints have increased by 156percent this year alone, Shehan said.

``Any law enforcement agency you talk to will tell you there's plenty of work to go around,'' Shehan said. ``Law enforcement agencies receive about 70percent of all of 1,500 leads we receive a week.''

But authorities complain about the fact that laws vary by state on the punishment for possession of child pornography, solicitation and sexual conduct.

And the recent scandal involving former Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., and his e-mails to teenage congressional pages illustrate the difficulties in interpreting when sexually suggestive material crosses the line.

``We still have issues to work on domestically,'' Shehan said. ``There are some states that say possession of child pornography is just a misdemeanor. There are some places internationally where it's not even against the law.''

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles task force wants to get additional funding so three more officers can join the unit. It needs the additional manpower to keep up with the evolving technology, Brown said.

``If you had told me that in 2002 I'd be talking to men and women who were abused by members of the clergy, I would have said, you're nuts,'' Brown said.

``After all that, nothing surprises me anymore.''

susan.abram(at)dailynews.com

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CYBER TIPS:

Some tips to protect children from online predators:

Keep the computer in the family room or another open area of your home. Post clear, simple, easy-to-read rules for use on or near the computer.

Check with your Internet service provider for monitoring or filtering programs or options.

Web sites for children are not permitted to request personal information without a parent's permission. Talk to children about what personal information is and why they should keep it private.

If children use chatrooms or e-mail, talk to them about never meeting in person with anyone they first ``met'' online.

Let children show you what they can do online, and visit their favorite sites.

Be aware of any other computers your child may be using.

Talk to children about not responding to offensive or dangerous e-mail, chat or other communications. Report any such communication to local law enforcement. Do not delete the offensive or dangerous e-mail. Instead, turn off the monitor, and contact local law enforcement.

If you suspect online ``stalking'' or sexual exploitation of a child, report it to your local law enforcement agency, contact www.cybertipline.com or call [phone].

SOURCE: Netsmartz.org

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CYBER TIPS (see text)