Governor Donald L. Carcieri announced on Tuesday a comprehensive plan to protect children from online predators. The governor was joined by members of the Rhode Island State Police, local law enforcement agencies, and state and local education officials. The announcement took place at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence.

The governor's four-point Combating Online Predators (COP) plan calls for:

+ Establishing an online anti-predator

unit at the Rhode Island State Police. + Increasing the penalties for those who solicit minors on-line, including making online solicitation of minors a felony and increasing the penalty from 5

years to 10 years for indecent

solicitation of a minor.

+ Developing an enhanced training

program by the State Police for

municipal police departments.

+ Increasing the co-ordination among the RI Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and national organizations such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to teach children and parents about the dangers of online predators and to help them recognize the threat.