Fighting online child exploitation

New Zealand Police has signed up to the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT), an international group that fights online child exploitation.

An agreement between the VGT and Police was signed by Detective Superintendent Win van der Velde at the VGT June board meeting in Rome.

Detective Superintendent Win van der Velde (left) with Virtual Global task force members in the office of Italian police ‘National Centre for Combating online Child Pornography’ (CNCPO). Photo: Supplied

The VGT is made up of law enforcement agencies from around the world who work together to fight online sexual child exploitation wherever it occurs and bring offenders to account.

Win says joining the VGT will further enhance Police’s ability to work in partnership with and share information between law enforcement agencies. “We will collaborate with the VGT via our own Online Child Abuse Exploitation Squad (OCEANZ).

“We look forward to being an active member of the VGT and contributing to a global effort to protect children and apprehend offenders,” says Win.