23 hours Ago By Jen Garofalo
Child predators are abhorrent, and all of them should be removed from society. Building a case against them is a job for the police. Securing a conviction is a job for prosecutors.
So-called predator hunting groups have no place in the equation. Last Sunday, the Herald-Standard published an article profiling members of two such groups. It was apparent that members of Bikers Against Predators, based in the state of Indiana, and Niky Sal, operating out of Erie County, are proud to discuss their sting operations.
As they explained it, members often pose as underage girls, texting or chatting with people they believe to be predators. They document those conversations, put together a dossier for law enforcement, and then travel to confront the person. They think that makes them modern-day folk heroes.
It doesn’t, and they aren’t. They’re vigilantes, a term that made members of both groups bristle. Instead, said one, they’re more like “investigative journalists.
” “It’s no different than if a house right next to you was selling drugs every day. ..
. We’re just reporting a crime,” said Robert Bloom, leader of Bikers Against Predators. Um, no.
Reporting suspicious activity is quite different than initiating an undercover investigation. While conducting an unsanctioned investigation may not stop police from filing charges, how the evidence is collected could lead to those charges being dismissed. Recently, a Westmoreland County judge dismissed hundreds of child pornography charges filed as a result of evidence collected by a predator hunting group.
The judge explained that the only adults who can pose as a child to catch a predator are those who are members of law enforcement. There’s also an issue of safety. What members of predator hunting groups do is pose a potential danger to them, but more importantly to anyone who is around when they confront a target.
Many of the groups livestream those confrontations on social media. They say it’s to keep everything above board and to show everyone the work they’re doing, but it’s difficult to reconcile that when they also sell memberships for “exclusive” content and discounts on branded merchandise. If they want to help the police – and let’s be frank, act like them – then they ought to hold themselves to the same standard.
People would be appalled if a police department offered exclusive videos of arrests for a fee, and rightfully so. If these groups truly want to help, they should raise money for police departments to bolster their resources to fight crime the right way. Otherwise, report crime instead of investigating it.
.
