Child Porn Cops: Who’s Keeping Your Children Safe?
It is probably the toughest job in law enforcement: to bust pedophiles with child pornography. “I’ve done this on a day to day basis for the last four years and it’s difficult,” said Cathedral City police Officer Mike Van Gorder. Van Gorder sees the worst of the worst. Part of his job is to watch child pornography and document it as evidence. “At one time, I had a TV set at my desk; I had pornography going on that”
Van Gorder’s last case involved 52-year-old Anthony Richard Davis. He’s suspected of having sex with a child under 10 and possessing child porn. Davis is under arrest and awaiting trial. After having to watch hours of child porn, Van Gorder said, “I don’t know what drives someone to look and collect children having sex with adults and each other. I don’t know why someone would find pleasure in that.”
Investigators find child porn on all types of devices: cell phones, hard drives, laptops, computers, and iPods.
Carren Robinson does the same. She’s been investigating pedophiles for 22 years. She’s in charge of monitoring the almost 600 registered sex offenders that live right here in the Coachella Valley.
“You see the worst of the worst because you’re dealing with the population no one wants to deal with,” said Robinson.
In 2004, police say 55 year-old Steven Mitchell Von stein had 114 images of child pornography when they search him. He’s said to be one of the worst. Robinson is now required to monitor his activities.
Robinson admits, “After all these years I don’t think I can separate it, you still take it home you still say, ‘gosh, how can this be happening.’ I worry about my children and worry about what they’re doing. I look at people differently than most people.”
Dr. Michelle Yont Smetana is a clinical psychologist. She helps law enforcement officers deal with having to watch child porn. She says, “There is a healing with the telling of the story.” For two decades, she’s helped them find the right coping skills. “Exercise, go for a walk, call a friend, journal, take a warm bath, listen to your favorite music, there’s a long list of things you can do.”
In January, Van Gorder finished his four-year detective assignment. He’s back on street patrol. Robinson continues to check up on Coachella Valley child porn convicts.
For more information about fight against child porn and ways to keep your family safe, go to www.rivcosafe.org and www.innocientjustice.org.
