Chat room beat for the police

POLICE officers worldwide are to patrol the virtual world of internet chat rooms as part of a massive international effort to tackle paedophiles operating on the web, the National Crime Squad in Britain announced yesterday.

Officers from law enforcement agencies around the world will roam chat rooms 24 hours a day using an icon to let users know they are there in a bid to stop the practice of internet grooming.

They will engage and talk to other chat room users, acting as beat officers on the internet's virtual street, but will not be a "big brother"-style presence, said NCS Assistant Chief Constable Jim Gamble.