Monday 18 October, 9.30am
Microsoft collaborates with UK’s dedicated centre for tackling child sex abuse in developing online tracking system
Child Exploitation Tracking System (CETS) fast tracks nationwide cooperation on child abuse investigations
London, UK - Microsoft has joined together with the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre to deliver a new technology that allows police forces to share and analyse information for investigating child sex offences in the UK.
The Child Exploitation Tracking System (CETS) has been running at the CEOP centre since the launch of the centre in April 2006 and is today being offered as a proof of concept to police forces across the country, with Essex, West Midlands, South Wales police forces and the Hi-tech Crime Unit of Scotland all undertaking a pilot programme. Terry Grange (ACPO lead on Sex Offenders and Chief Constable of Dyfed-Powys), and Robin Crorie (PITO Central Customer) have formally written to the CEOP centre supporting the CETS proof of concept on a national basis.
The technology allows the creation of a virtual investigation team, where police officers across the country can share and analyse information on suspected offenders, avoiding duplication and coordinating a national approach that will reduce the risk of offenders moving across geographic borders to avoid detection.
CETS was first developed by the Canadian police, international law enforcement experts and Microsoft to help law enforcement battle online child exploitation. CETS was developed following a personal e-mail plea from Toronto Police Detective Sergeant Paul Gillespie to Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates. Microsoft has donated more than $7 million (USD) to date for the system’s development and to assist in its global deployment.
Jim Gamble, Chief Executive of the CEOP centre, said
Criminals use technology to further their needs and now we are turning the tables and saying enough is enough. CETS has already proved its worth here in the CEOP Centre so it is time to move that prototype on to the road of UK policing. We have to explore how it can be applied force by force, how it can join up investigations and create that all important virtual police presence and overall how it will help us in staying that vital one step ahead of the criminal mind. The results look good and as the rollout gathers pace we can and we will send out a very clear message to offenders - we will track you, we will bring you to account.
CETS was created to increase the effectiveness of investigators and teams by providing them with software to store, search, share and analyze large quantities of evidence and connect the cases across law enforcement agencies and government jurisdictions. Previously, investigators had to manually sort through files and photos, making it challenging to analyze the large volumes of information gathered during investigations.
CETS is a true example of integration among law enforcement and industry, said Steve Ballmer, CEO at Microsoft Corp. “We are proud to partner with the CEOP centre in the UK, to help make the internet a safer place for children.
Microsoft wants to thank Jim and his colleagues for their devotion to countering online threats to children,” added Matt Bishop, senior director, Developer Platform Evangelism, Microsoft UK. “We have worked very closely with the team at the CEOP centre and will continue to do so as more police forces adopt this technology. Together, we’re determined to make the Internet safer for everyone.
In the UK the CETS technology has already been central to coordinating police investigations and analysing information. In one recent case, an individual's activities online was reported to the CEOP website on four separate occasions. By using CETS the CEOP centre investigators were able to identify a number of online identities used by various paedophiles who were attempting to contact the individual and the investigators were able to pass these to a single force for investigation.
In March 2006, CETS figured prominently in the arrest of 27 people in four countries who ran an extremely sophisticated private chat room of child exploitation.
Child Exploitation Tracking System (CETS) Fact Sheet (DOC, 40Kb)
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential.
About the CEOP Centre
The CEOP Centre works in both online and offline environments and full information on all areas of work as well as online safety messages and access to online reporting can be found at www.ceop.gov.uk.
The CEOP Centre is affiliated to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and powers are derived from the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. It is based in Pimlico, London with developing outreach channels to all areas of both domestic and international policing as well as industry and specialist support and educational faculties.
For further information about CEOP
Clive Michel
Head of Communications and Public Affairs
Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre
+44 (0)20 7238 2391
07899 064 333
For further information on the work of the CEOP Centre : www.ceop.gov.uk
For specific advice to stay safe online : www.thinkuknow.co.uk
For details on the international work of the CEOP Centre : www.virtualglobaltaskforce.com
For further information about Microsoft
Liz Hayes
Edelman
020 7344 1201
liz.hayes@edelman.com