The Southeast Missouri (SEMO) Cyber Crimes Task Force will receive more than $100,000 to fight Internet crime.
Last year, a U.S. Justice Department report ranked Missouri's cyber crime fighting efforts among the national leaders in the number of arrests made and the number of law enforcement officers trained.
The SEMO Cyber Crimes Task Force in Poplar Bluff will receive $105,206 to fight online criminals who often seek to entice children and deal in child pornography.
Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Madison, Mississippi, News Madrid, Oregon, Pemiscot, Perry, Ripley, Scott, St. Francois, Stoddard and Wayne counties participate in the SEMO Cyber Crime Task Force.
The Department of Justice is required to report to Congress every two years on the effectiveness of the fight against child exploitation, according to the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008.