By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – Missouri Governor Matt Blunt is proposing spending more money on protecting children from online predators in next year's budget.
Blunt wants to expand the budget for the Multi-jurisdictional Internet Cyber Crimes Task Force and grant program to $1.5 million, which represents a $250,000 increase over the current budget.
The governor says it's an important step in continuing to keep kids in Missouri safe.
"When I was growing up, and really just a decade or two ago, parents just had to worry about dangers in their neighborhood or in their hometown...today, very dangerous sexual predators lurk online, and they could reside anywhere," Blunt said.
The funding would help pay for salaries and training for detectives and computer forensic personnel.
"Sexual predators in Missouri should really feel that they've been put on notice...if they think they can roam Internet chat rooms for Missouri victims without consequence, they're obviously wrong," Blunt said.