The city of Oconomowoc police chief has a new idea to stop kids from sexting. Police Chief James Pfister is proposing teens be ticketed. Pfister told WISN 12 News the number of people sexting is on the rise, and the people doing it are getting younger and younger. Under current child pornography laws, felony convictions carry a mandatory minimum prison sentence of three years. Pfister said a local ordinance would allow police to ticket juvenile sexting offenders without leaving anything on their record. “Unfortunately, right now, it’s more of a lecture and reprimand, or else we have to refer felony charges to the district attorney’s office. So we’re looking at something that can kind of satisfy both ways of not ruining a 15-year-old’s life and also still doing something for the victims,” Pfister said. Pfister said details of the punishment still need to be ironed out, but he’s pushing for a $1,500 fine and a mandatory court appearance. “This would just be a civil forfeiture, and so it wouldn’t be a crime, so it wouldn’t go on a criminal record,” said Pfister. “It’s based on complaint, so we’re not out there searching kids’ phones or anything of that nature.”The city of Oconomowoc Common Council tabled discussion and a vote on the ordinance at a Tuesday night meeting. Pfister said he hopes to see a vote on the measure in the next month or two.
The city of Oconomowoc police chief has a new idea to stop kids from sexting. Police Chief James Pfister is proposing teens be ticketed.
Pfister told WISN 12 News the number of people sexting is on the rise, and the people doing it are getting younger and younger.
Under current child pornography laws, felony convictions carry a mandatory minimum prison sentence of three years. Pfister said a local ordinance would allow police to ticket juvenile sexting offenders without leaving anything on their record.
“Unfortunately, right now, it’s more of a lecture and reprimand, or else we have to refer felony charges to the district attorney’s office. So we’re looking at something that can kind of satisfy both ways of not ruining a 15-year-old’s life and also still doing something for the victims,” Pfister said.
Pfister said details of the punishment still need to be ironed out, but he’s pushing for a $1,500 fine and a mandatory court appearance.
“This would just be a civil forfeiture, and so it wouldn’t be a crime, so it wouldn’t go on a criminal record,” said Pfister. “It’s based on complaint, so we’re not out there searching kids’ phones or anything of that nature.”
The city of Oconomowoc Common Council tabled discussion and a vote on the ordinance at a Tuesday night meeting. Pfister said he hopes to see a vote on the measure in the next month or two.
