Angels of the Internet

• NCJ Number: 211886
• Author(s): National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center
• Date Published: January 2001
• Length: 3 pages
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored

Annotation

This article describes the work and services offered by Cyberangels, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization providing around-the-clock Internet investigation and education assistance to law enforcement agencies.

Abstract

Many police agencies lack the resources and knowledge to conduct Internet investigations of crimes such as cyberstalking, child pornography, and computer hacking. Cyberangels, which operates completely online and completely for free, offers assistance with Internet investigations that range from identifying the source of harassing e-mails to investigating child abduction cases suspected to have begun on the Internet to educating officers on how to conduct Internet investigations. The all-volunteer network is divided into specific divisions dealing with different types of investigations, such as the Law Enforcement Operations Division, which boasts over 200 law enforcement officers as volunteers, and the Net Education Division, which offers a variety of online courses related to online security, Internet investigation techniques, and online safety and privacy. Cyberangels is not associated with law enforcement and does not conduct undercover Internet investigations. Once offenders or online offenses are tracked through Cyberangels, all information is handed to law enforcement agencies to pursue. Cyberangels Law Enforcement Operations are currently handled through cyberlawenforcement.com. Other contact information is provided.