New Jersey State Police are getting more than $500,000 to help investigate online crimes against children. The funding will be used to upgrade the technology investigators use to find, track and charge people accused of targeting children online. State officials say cybertips and arrests related to these crimes have risen sharply over the past year. Attorney General Jennifer Davenport says the grant will provide investigators with updated hardware, software and forensic tools to keep up with changing technology.

State police say the growing number of apps and online platforms has made it easier for predators to reach children.