Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — The public can become a part of Operation Predator with the expansion of the initiative's app.
The Operation Predator app was created for smartphones so the public could easily stay informed about child predators in their area and help the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations team, according to the agency.
The app was first released in September 2013 for Apple’s iOS system, but ICE announced the release of an Android version Tuesday. A Spanish language option has also been added to both versions of the app.
“Within 36 hours of its (2013) launch, the app helped HSI special agents apprehend a suspect,” a statement from ICE reads. “The latest versions of the app are expected to significantly increase public outreach to help locate child predators and rescue their victims.”
Those who install the app can receive alerts about suspects being sought in their area by special agents. It also provides the tools to share ICE information about potential predators on social media. If anyone spots a person on the list, the app can connect them to the HSI tip line.
"They can be anywhere doing anything, so until the message is out, it's very difficult to find them," said Sonja Nordstrom, a retired FBI agent who spent most of her 23-year career hunting down child predators.
Additional news about the prosecution and arrests of child predators are available on the app as well.
"They'll often leave a tattoo or a piece of jewelry or a phone book in the background — whatever it is that makes it identifiable to people that see it," Nordstrom said.
Currently, only a dozen suspected predators are displayed on the app. Nordstrom believes that's by design.
"We're all flooded with information, so I think it's in a way maybe better to just focus on those that we really want to find instead of flooding people with so much that they just gloss over and don't find anything of value," Nordstrom said.
Nordstrom also believes the app is a valuable talking point for parents. She says the majority of child sex offenses happen with people who are trusted and known to families.
That's important, she says, for kids to feel confident and safe that they can talk about things that make them uncomfortable.
“This app is one piece of our commitment to ensuring child predators have absolutely nowhere to hide,” acting ICE Director Thomas Winkowski said in a statement.
The app can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store and iTunes or Google Play store.
