Police Veteran With Internet Crimes Task Force Coming To ECHS For Social Media, Internet Dangers Presentation

Darren Doyle, story
The Edmonson County School Board has announced that highly acclaimed speaker and 22 year police veteran, Officer Bob Couchman with the Madisonville Police Department and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force,  will conduct a presentation focusing on the dangers of social media and internet predators on Thursday, October 27, 2016 at the ECHS Auditorium.

Edmonson County State and Federal Programs Supervisor Jamie Carnes said the presentation is a must for parents whose children use social media and internet communication.

​"I first saw Officer Couchman's presentation at a summer conference and was taken aback by some of the things he described and how easy it seemed for predators to gain access to kids via the internet," Carnes said. "This information combined with the fact that so many young people have access to smart devices (basically hand-held computers) makes for many potentially scary scenarios.  The more our community knows about the dangers that exist and how to recognize them, the safer our kids will be when it comes to helping them avoid criminals who would take advantage of them.

Carnes said the information Officer Couchman will share is guaranteed to make people feel a bit uneasy, especially when they hear how potentially dangerous an item like a smart phone can be in the hands of an unsuspecting child.  

"These devices are things that are now considered to be essential to our daily lives and the 2-way access they provide to the world is often taken for granted."

Social media addiction is also a problem that many young people deal with, a problem that often leads to bullying, sending and receiving inappropriate material, or other negative aspects. Officer Couchman's presentation will also cover similar ideas and subjects. 

"We all want our children to be safe, and the things Officer Couchman plans to discuss will arm us with knowledge that will go a long way toward helping keep them that way," Carnes added.

The event is free to the public and all are welcomed to attend, however, due to the adult nature of some of the material, parental accompaniment is required for minors in attendance.