The New Brunswick RCMP would like to address recent reports of vigilantism related to incidents in the Moncton, Dieppe, and Riverview areas.
The RCMP has been made aware of a group of individuals posing as children to attempt to lure would be suspects into committing criminal acts.
The New Brunswick RCMP would like to remind the public of the potential dangers of taking matters into your own hands, which we strongly discourage. Individuals engaging in these types of activities are not only putting themselves at risk, but they also potentially risk compromising ongoing police investigations, evidence gathering, or future court proceedings.
"We have a number of specialized units and teams who work diligently investigating these types of crimes each and every day," says Cpl. Hans Ouellette of the New Brunswick RCMP. "Our investigators have very robust strategies, including undercover police work, to tackle these complex investigations in accordance with the Criminal Code and case law."
The New Brunswick RCMP's Internet Child Exploitation Unit (ICE), Digital Forensic Section (DFS), Major Crime Unit (MCU), Further Investigation Team (FIT), and General Investigation Section (GIS), are just some of the specialized units and teams that carry out investigations related to child exploitation.
Between April 2023, and April 2024, 17 individuals have been arrested in connection with child exploitation related offences, and 24 charges have been laid.
"Due to the complexities of these investigations, and the expertise required to retrieve digital evidence in compliance with court demands, they often take time in order to ensure the case can be successfully prosecuted." says Cpl. Ouellette. "We understand that the public is not always aware of the work that we are doing, but we want people to know that we are working diligently everyday to ensure the safety of the children in our province."
The RCMP takes every report of crime seriously and we work to be as effective as possible with our resources. If you are a victim of crime, or if you have information that can help our investigations, please report it to police. You can call 1-888-506-RCMP/1-888-506-1GRC for non-urgent situations. Always call police or 9-1-1 immediately if the incident is still in progress, or if it is an emergency.
Whether urgent or non-urgent, every call for service to the RCMP is important.