MEDIA RELEASE: Carly Ryan Foundation Appoints New Ambassador
Date posted:
CARLY RYAN FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES NEW AMBASSADOR
The Carly Ryan Foundation (CRF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Detective Inspector Jon Rouse as a CRF Ambassador.
Jon is a Detective who led Queensland’s anti-online child exploitation unit, Taskforce Argos, for 19 years.
Jon has now been seconded from the Queensland Police Service as the Operations Manager for Covert Investigations and Victim Identification at the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE). His extensive achievements includes establishing Australia’s first undercover operation targeting internet child sex offenders whilst at Task Force Argos, which has now led multiple national and international investigations targeting child exploitation criminal networks.
Since 1996, Detective Inspector Rouse has undertaken the vital work of investigating crimes against children.
His dedication and hard work has rescued many children from the most horrendous situations throughout Australia and the world.
Detective Inspector Rouse has 36 years' service with Queensland Police.
Jon gained national support for the development of the ANVIL project (Australian National Victim Image Library) to assist police officers to identify the child victims depicted in images seized from sex offenders. He has dedicated significant time to global awareness, delivering training and presentations on online child exploitation investigations to law enforcement officers across Australia and internationally.
Currently Sub Group Chair of the INTERPOL Covert Internet Investigators Group and a Director with The Society for the Policing of Cyberspace (POLCYB), Jon is the recipient of four Commissioners Certificates for operational leadership, two Excellence awards for Child Protection Prevention, the Australian Police Medal, the Queensland Police Medal, the National Service Medal, the Exemplary Conduct medal, the National Police Medal and in May 2018 the ‘Champion for Children Award’ in New York from the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children. Jon was the 2019 Queensland Australian of the Year.
In accepting the invitation to become a CRF Ambassador, Jon commented: 'A child sex offender grooming, abducting and taking a child’s life is the worst possible case scenario for a parent and tragically for Sonya Ryan it is a reality that she has to deal with every day. I know that I speak for the dedicated police officers that I have the honour of working with when I say that the tragic circumstances surrounding the loss of Carly epitomises why we go to work every day.'
'It is has been a great privilege to get to know Sonya and I am so very honoured to now have this opportunity to show support for her and her foundation.'
'Sonya’s strength and courage to drive education, awareness and legislative reform both in Australia and now internationally, has ensured that her daughter's enduring legacy will be the protection of the current and next generations of children.'
Sonya Ryan, Founder & CEO of The Carly Ryan Foundation said: 'I have an abundance of admiration and great respect for Jon and what he stands for. I couldn’t think of a better person to represent my daughter's legacy and I know she would have been in awe of him if they had met in life.'
'Jon’s experience will be invaluable, will complement the work of CRF and assist us in protecting young people both nationally and globally.'
'I am excited to see what the future holds in positively impacting the lives of children together.'