Kaukauna Approves Sexting Citation Ordinance

City officials in Kaukauna, near Appleton, approved an ordinance Tuesday that gives police the option to issue tickets to minors caught sexting — sharing sexually explicit images of each other on mobile devices.

Assistant Police Chief Jamie Graff said that before this ordinance, the Kaukauna Police Department had two options: talk to the parents, or refer the teen to the district attorney for felony child pornography charges.

Now officers can issue citations as long as a case doesn’t involve threats or peer pressure, which could lead to more serious charges.

Graff said that the department deals with complaints about sexting once a week and he hears from parents who want to show their child that there are consequences for sharing explicit pictures of themselves and their peers.

If a teen is issued a citation under the Kaukauna ordinance, parents can either pay the ticket or bring their child to municipal court.