With the rise in popularity of online games, Internet predators are increasingly turning to the world of multiplayer in order to locate potential young victims.

In at least one jurisdiction, police have found a new tool to help catch such online pedophiles.

Salt Lake City's KUTV-2 reports that officers from the local P.D.'s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force have recruited a 15-year-old gamer named Zach to help them to navigate the world of online gaming.

Officer Ken Wallentine from the task force explained:

We are adults and we are not great gamers so we didn't know what we are doing so we brought in an expert.

As the resident expert gamer, Zach performs all sorts of tasks, from leveling up characters so that officers can pose as regular gamers, to teaching officers net lingo such as LOL, ROFL, and the meaning of "noob".

Zach himself doesn't make contact with sexual predators, but he is an important aid to officers as they attempt to pose as minors during online stings. At a recent awards banquet, Attorney General Mark Shurtleff presented Zach with a plaque honoring his work with the Salt Lake City police.

For Zach, the reward is in a good day's work, helping to catch online bad guys:

I think they are, like, dirt bags... I don't care for them at all should all just be behind bars.

By the way, if the "1337" in the headline confuses you, click here for an explanation.

- Reporting from Canada, GP Correspondent Colin "Jabrwock" McInnes