As part of Project Aquatic, the Windsor
Police Service and Chatham-Kent Police Service have arrested and charged three
individuals with child pornography-related offences.
Between February 26 and March 1, 2024, Windsor Police
partnered with Chatham‐Kent Police to execute four search warrants in five
locations across Windsor, Amherstburg, and Chatham. As a result, 23 electronic
devices were seized and 15 charges were laid (11 by Windsor Police and four by
Chatham-Kent Police).
“Child sexual exploitation is a terrible crime that can have lifelong impacts
on victims,” said Windsor Police Inspector Andrew Randall. “Through
initiatives like Project Aquatic, we are working hard to safeguard victims and hold predators accountable.”
Project Aquatic is part of the OPP-led Provincial Internet Child Exploitation
Strategy, involving 27 police services across Ontario. In the months leading up
to the operation, each agency developed its own targets, in response to reports
made through cybertip.ca, and file sharing services, and executed search
warrants during the takedown week. Across Ontario, this year’s operation
yielded 348 charges against 64 people.
More information on Project Aquatic and the OPP’s
Provincial Internet Child Exploitation Strategy are available from the OPP Newsroom.
To learn about how to keep children safe, visit the
Canadian Centre for Child Protection’s website at www.protectchildren.ca/en/. You
can also report information related to child sexual exploitation at www.cybertip.ca.
If you or someone you know is an affected person in need
of support, please call Victim Services Windsor Essex County at 519-723-2711 or
the Victim Assistance Unit at Windsor Police at 519-255-6700, ext.
4879.
