Former Naperville detective Internet predators' worst nightmare

July 15, 2005, was the dawn of a new day for former Naperville Detective Michael Sullivan.

On that day, Sullivan, known nationally for his work in combating predators who seek out children online for sexual exploitation, started as deputy bureau chief of the High Tech Crimes Bureau in Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office.

"It's a very enjoyable job," Sullivan said, now seven months into his position. "The administration here has been wonderful about trying to get all of the Internet safety presentations out to everyone in all the corners of the state of Illinois."

Those safety presentations to officers and parents are one of the cruxes of Sullivan's job.
   
And for a man who used to spend much of his time with the Naperville Police Department proactively searching for predators online, teaching others how to hone their skills is surprisingly refreshing.

"I don't spend anywhere near as much time online as I did when I was in Naperville," Sullivan said. "It's more instructing other officers in how to do it."

Sullivan said that he "always enjoyed the challenge of the one-on-one online," alluding to his work seeking out Internet predators, "but that enjoyment has been replaced" by the joy he gets in passing knowledge on to a new generation of Web enforcers.

According to Sullivan, the High Tech Crimes Bureau has 11 people, who are dedicated to stamping out crime that happens over the Internet's information superhighway. Sullivan said several investigators in other offices also pitch in.

According to Madigan's Web site, the bureau "provides important training and education programs in the area of computer crimes, including online child pornography, online sexual abuse, online fraud, e-mail threats, identity theft and computer hacking."

The bureau also oversees the Illinois Internet Child Exploitation Task Force. Similar task forces in other states help coordinate interstate efforts to prevent child exploitation via the Internet.

"Someone in another state or another country might have identified a predator that lives in Illinois and then we react to that information," Sullivan said.
New year, new goals
With satellite offices in the Naperville Police Department, Springfield and East St. Louis, along with the Chicago office, Sullivan said the hope is to open more offices in the coming year.

"We're trying to get the task force to run at a larger level," he said, adding they're trying to bring new agencies into the mix.

"Right now the main goal for our unit first and foremost is training," Sullivan said. "At this point we're set up to do about 40 different classes throughout the state of Illinois."

Some of that training will take place in Naperville's backyard. Sullivan said a training course in June at the Holiday Inn will feature officers from across the state and beyond.

Another hope is to add two more forensic recovery technicians to the team. Right now, Sullivan said, two are on board. Forensic recovery technicians are crucial to examining computers for evidence that can be used to make a case.

Sullivan said bringing Internet safety tips to parents and students is another big push in 2006, with a goal of 50 to 100 Internet safety nights by the end of the year.

One will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Kennedy Junior High School, 2929 Green Trails Drive in Lisle. Sullivan, who will be in attendance, said Madigan will also be presenting.

"She's computer literate," Sullivan said of the attorney general. "She understands pretty well that the people of Illinois need to get information to protect their children."
A legacy left behind
While Sullivan may have moved on from Naperville, his influence remains. Detective Richard Wistocki, with the Naperville Police Department's youth investigations and Internet crimes units, remembers when he sat four desks away from him.

"We took down some pretty bad guys," Wistocki said. "He's a pioneer in Illinois as far as being on the forefront (of) doing this type of work."

Wistocki calls himself more reactive than Sullivan was. His office also acts as Sullivan's satellite office, with Sullivan's desk now located right next to his.

"He sets the bar for how these investigations are done," he said. "Mike's a busy guy. He is so focused on his duties. And he's dedicated. And he's taught me so much."

Those lessons passed on showed up in Wistocki's first evaluation in his job, when his superior couldn't believe how much he knew and how comfortable he seemed.

"That's why I want to be so successful," Wistocki said. "To be like them."

"I do miss the people I've worked with at Naperville," Sullivan said, adding he misses the short commute he once had from his Naperville home. "Obviously working out of Springfield and working out of Chicago makes it difficult to spend as much time in Naperville as I'd like."

But, as Sullivan contends, all new ventures come with an upside.

"It's been a very enjoyable change," he said. "I enjoy the different challenges that come with a different assignment."

Contact Kate Houlihan at khoulihan@scn1.com or (630) 416-5224.