It is believed there are more than 5 million photos and videos of sexually exploited children being shared on the web.
The Thunder Bay Police Service’s Cyber Crimes Unit is a specialty unit with a focus on combating these kinds of crimes. The Cyber Crimes Unit has two core functions: To support and assist other TBPS units that acquire digital evidence during their own investigations; and combating child exploitation.
For Cyber Crimes Unit Det.-Cst. Chris Dunnil, the latter core function is where the unit’s true passion lies.
“The (child exploitation) cases we take ourselves, investigate them, do the examination and compel people to court,” said Det.-Cst. Chris Dunnill. “Someone with the skills, and we have a good group here now, needs to stand up for these kids … if we make it so difficult and so risky to collect that content, then the demand dries up. If the demand isn’t there and no one is making money then maybe we save a child.”
In this video, created in part to celebrate the OACP’s Police Week 2020, takes a deeper look at how this special unit operates to help lead the way to a safer community.