Task Force Argos

Task Force Argos is a highly specialised branch of the Queensland Police Service responsible for the investigation of on-line child exploitation and abuse. Founded in 1997, the unit’s original charter was to investigate historical, institutional child abuse alleged during the Forde Inquiry.

The unit's name was derived from Greek mythology in which Argus Panoptes or Argos, was a primordial “all seeing” giant with multiple eyes and who was guardian of lo. As protector of the children Argos was great and strong: sleep never fell upon his eyes and he kept sure watch always.

Technological advances and wider access to the Internet led the unit in 2002 to explore avenues to address growing community concern over the proliferation of child exploitation across the internet. Task Force Argos identified potential threats to children in on-line chat rooms where sexual predators were grooming children and coercing them to engage in sexual activity.