Volusia County deputies to spread awareness on protecting kids from online predators

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NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office wants to teach people how to protect kids from online danger.

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The agency is hosting the first of five meetings Monday, focusing on predators on the internet.

Officials said the meetings were sparked by a recent incident involving a 29-year-old man and a 12-year-old girl.

Watch: Sheriff: 9 ‘online predators’ arrested for traveling to meet with minors in Osceola County

Deputies said a Brevard County man was arrested earlier this month after he traveled to Deltona to meet with a 12-year-old girl, he met on an app called Wink.

Now Volusia County law enforcement is stepping in to teach the community about online safety.

The internet can be a dangerous place for everyone, especially for children and teens.

Watch: Lawsuit accuses famous YouTuber of being online predator & accuses YouTube of benefitting from it

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood wants to keep all of the community safe, even in a virtual world.

The sheriff’s office and Florida Department of Children and Families will be hosting five different meetings about online predators.

Watch: 3 Volusia County men caught in nationwide sting targeting online predators

“If your kids are spending their time online, you need to be aware of what’s out there,” Chitwood said in a news release.

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at A Family Church in New Smyrna Beach.

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