Eric is a cradle Catholic who attends the Traditional Latin Mass, husband, father, and grandfather of six. His is committed to serving others, currently as a hospital chaplain for patients of all ages and backgrounds. Before beginning that ministry, he was and remains dedicated to protecting children from predators, pedophiles, pornographers, sex traffickers, and bullies. He is a retired Special Agent who served with the Wisconsin Department of Justice/ Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) for 24 years, 16 of which assigned to the state’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in Milwaukee. He was recognized as the Wisconsin Attorney General Law Enforcement Officer of the Year in 2014, and selected as a Special Agent-in-Charge in 2015. Eric's law enforcement experience also included undercover murder-for-hire, homicide, cold-case homicides, tracking fugitives, and drug enforcement.
The Dark Side of Digital Technology: Internet, Smart Phones and Social Media
While digital technology offers a world of communication, education, and entertainment options for all ages, it also has a dark and dangerous side families and caregivers must be aware of.
This fast-paced presentation takes a deep dive into the cyber exploitation of children, and how it is facilitated by addictive social media, unenforced regulations, artificial intelligence, and much of the culture. A must see for anyone who wants to better protect kids from psychological, moral, emotional, and even physical harm facilitated by technology. Attendees will learn techniques used by predators, the types of kids who are most vulnerable, and the link between the growing victimization of children, pornography and the sexualized culture.
Eric reinforces his message with specific examples of how predators corrupt every platform and device used by our kids to take advantage of them. Eric also shares ideas for parents and caregivers on how to help kids avoid getting hurt, and how to respond when something happens.
Eric combines his investigative expertise with his own personal experiences as a husband and father who protected his kids as they grew up with digital technology, and his current concern of what his grandchildren will face as they get older.
Topics include the latest on potential dangers of social networking apps, as well as disturbing trends of sexting, cyber bullying, and webcam exploitation. Parents/caregivers will be challenged to be role models and protectors instead of “best friends” to their kids. Eric also explains how filters and monitoring software should be used to support their primary mission of raising kids in a safe, caring, AND high-tech environment.
Additional Options
Age-appropriate programs with the same message are also available for kids (4th-5th grade, 6th-8th grade, and high school). Another popular program is for parents and kids to attend together.
Additional Background Information
Eric's unabashed practical advice on Internet safety comes from a faith-based Catholic Christian, law enforcement and family perspective. Married for 42 years, he and his wife helped raise their own kids in a digital-world minefield, and looks forward to doing the same for their 6 grandchildren. Parents will learn how to work together with their kids when it comes to being safe in all online environments, and be motivated to raise children in a safe, loving AND high-tech environment. Kids/teens will learn not only about the dangers of digital technology, but why it's important to be RESPECTFUL using it, and to better understand why parents and caregivers/teachers sometimes need to be "overprotective." Open lines of communication are stressed for both parents and young people.
Eric's audiences have included parents, public/parochial middle school and high school students, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, child welfare advocates, correctional and social workers, civic groups, business professionals, doctors, and countless other groups dedicated to helping children.
During his law enforcement career, Eric was responsible for the arrest of approximately 200 suspects from Wisconsin and around the country, many of whom traveled various distances to have sex with what they believed to be an underage boy or girl. Eric’s arrests also include those who sexually assault children, distribute, possess, and/or produce child pornography, expose children to harmful materials, or engage in child sex trafficking.
Eric’s work was recognized by many organizations, including the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Department of Justice, and the Wisconsin Association of Homicide Investigators.
He was a guest on the Tyra Banks Show in Los Angeles, and CNN Tonight in New York City. Eric also appeared on “Living Our Faith” with then-Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan, The Drew Mariani Show on Relevant Radio, and has been interviewed by countless newspapers, radio and television stations across Wisconsin and the Midwest. Some of Eric’s cases have been featured in national media outlets including Cold Case Files with Bill Kurtis, People Magazine, and MSNBC Investigates.
Before his law enforcement career, Eric spent seven years in broadcast journalism. He was a news reporter, anchor and producer, working at TV stations in Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, and Madison. Eric graduated with honors in 1983 from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication. Eric also earned a Masters in Christian Doctrine in 2014 from Marquette University. He is currently a part-time hospital chaplain, continuing to work with families and kids by providing spiritual care to those facing illness, injuries, suffering, and death.
