Terry Goddard Visits Kingman Boys & Girls Club to Promote Internet Safety, Discuss Methamphetamine Public Health Crisis

(Kingman, Ariz. – February 10, 2005)  Attorney General Terry Goddard, the Boys & Girls Clubs Arizona Alliance Champion for Kids, today visited the Boys & Girls Club of Kingman promoting Internet Safety and his new initiative to combat the use of methamphetamines.

“We are in the middle of a public health crisis with meth,” Goddard said.  “Meth cookers are poisoning our children, and putting our law enforcement and public safety officers in unacceptable dangers.”

Goddard is working with legislators and a broad coalition of law enforcement officials to adopt anew law to make methamphetamine production more difficult by moving chemicals used by criminals to make meth behind the pharmacy counter.  The goal of the legislation, sponsored by Rep. Tom O’Halleran, is to reduce meth cooking in Arizona, begin a coordinated education effort on the dangers of meth, and update existing laws governing remediation and child abuse.

Internet Safety education continues to be a primary focus of the successful partnership between Goddard and the Boys & Girls Clubs in Arizona. The Attorney General will continue to promote Internet safety to parents and kids through Web sites, forums and the media in collaboration with the Boys & Girls Clubs Arizona Alliance, NetSmartz and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 

Mohave County Attorney Matthew Smith and Mohave County Sheriff Tom Sheahan joined Goddard at this event, and presented a contribution to the Boys & Girls Club of Kingman to support a new computer lab.  Kingman Police Chief Robert DeVries also joined Goddard to promote Internet safety. 

“Arizona’s Boys and Girls Clubs are doing a great job keeping kids on the right track and out of trouble,” Goddard said.  “Kids have fun, learn new skills, play sports and games, do homework and make friends in a safe environment supervised by people who care about them.  I am very impressed by the efforts of the Boys and Girls Clubs to reach out to kids who might need a little extra encouragement or support, such as children living with foster parents or whose parents are serving in the armed forces in Iraq."

Goddard kicked off an Internet Safety Initiative in 2003, in an effort to provide information to parents and children on how to safely travel the cyber super highway.  Goddard partnered with the NetSmartz Workshop and Arizona Boys & Girls Clubs Arizona Alliance to develop this program.

The Arizona Attorney General’s Office created a web page specifically for children, offering fun activities and valuable information on Internet safety.  In addition, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office has recently produced a short video that illustrates the dangers found on the Internet, as well as, tips to protect children from those dangers.  The video features the Boys & Girls Clubs Arizona Alliance, Arizona Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Netsmartz Workshop and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.  The video is available in English and Spanish, and is used by law enforcement and community organizations for educational and media programs.  

Goddard will continue to attend Boys & Girls Club events around the state, promoting the Internet Safety Initiative and recognizing the successful efforts of the Boys & Girls Clubs to provide Internet safety education to children everywhere.   

For more information on the Arizona Attorney General’s Internet Safety Initiative or to access the Kids Web Page, visit our web site at www.azag.gov or contact our office at 602 542-5763 (Maricopa County), 520 628-6504 (Tucson), or 1800 352-8431 (Statewide).