Westshore RCMP reports dramatic increase in child pornography investigations

Westshore RCMP is reporting an over 100 percent increase in child pornography investigations over the past two years.

A press release published on Monday reports an increase from 19 total investigations in 2021 to 39 in 2022. Additionally, the report lists six convictions of individuals in possession of child pornography – among other charges – over the past six months.

Though the rise in investigations is a concerning sign, officers are happy to see many of these offender receive convictions for their crimes:

“Though the number of these investigations appears to be increasing year over year, the unit takes some comfort in these recent convictions,” said Thana Hodge, Sergeant of the West Shore RCMP Serious Crime Unit. “The officers in the Serious Crime Unit are extremely dedicated and invest enormous effort into investigating these terrible crimes.”