With the ever-growing number of kids using social media apps to chat with family and friends, there has been a jump in the number of online predators contacting underage victims for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Because of this, there has been a higher demand for law enforcement to take a proactive role in combating these online predators. More and more law enforcement agencies have been exploring undercover online chatting and sting operations, but the logistics can be daunting. With this class, the students will become familiar with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) standards, build an undercover chat persona, become familiar with current chat apps used for sting operations, become familiar with chat lingo, learn how to set up an undercover sting operation, and become familiar with the “house vs car date” sting operation methods, in addition to other strategies.

These topics are covered through a slide presentation, lecture, discussion, and practical application. The class is designed to educate and teach the students, to return to their law enforcement agencies and give them the tools and knowledge to conduct successful undercover online sting operations.

Course topics will include but not be limited to:

• ICAC Standards
• Sting Operation Preparation
• UC Images for Chatting
• Creating Your UC Persona
• Creating Your Backstory
• Creating UC Profiles on Apps
• Chatting Techniques
• Legal Issues and Entrapment
• The Best Apps for UC Chatting
• Phones, Websites and Emulators
• Setting Up Your Sting Operation
• House OP vs Car Dates
• Personnel and Assignments
• Interviewing Your Suspect
• Search Warrants and Report Writing