About the Course
This course will cover introductory information for officers and detectives who are new to investigating Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) cases and considerations when setting up a cybercrimes unit. We will discuss how to properly and fully investigate ICAC cases. Topics will include discussion of basic definitions and concepts, related offenses (including Federal), case sources, and legal documents. There will also be information on search warrant considerations, interviewing offenders, and assistance to victims/survivors. Equipment needs and related tools for investigations will also be reviewed. The course will cover online safety considerations and current platforms utilized. It will conclude with ways to take care of ourselves while helping others.
Your Instructor
Michelle Savage
Detective Michelle Savage has been a sworn police officer in North Carolina since 1997 and has an Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate. She graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and a minor in Criminology. In 1997 she began her law enforcement career with the Duke University PD where she served as a patrol officer and Field Training Officer. In 1999, she started with the Cary Police Department in NC and has been there ever since, serving as a patrol officer, FTO, and field investigator. She has been a part of the Criminal Investigations Division since 2004 and began assisting with ICAC cases in 2016. Currently, she continues to work as an ICAC detective in the Cyber Intelligence Unit. Specific to ICAC training, Det Savage has attended over 475 hours of training in Peer to Peer Computer Crime Investigation, Online Ads, Advanced Undercover Investigations, BitTorrent Investigations, Gigatribe Investigations and Basic Data Recovery and Acquisition (BDRA). She has also attended Griffeye/Analyze DI, Dark Web Investigations, Child Abuse and Child Pornography, Basic Forensic Investigations through Blackbag Technology, various online courses related to Forensic Process and Artifacts, evidence acquisition and other ICAC topics. Additional training in Freenet Investigations, Interviewing At-Risk Children, OSTriage, IRC: Undercover Chat, Legal and Technical Issues, and Emerging Techniques in ICAC. She regulary attends the National Law Enforcement Training on Child Exploitation and is Griffeye Alnalyze DI Pro Certified, a Cellebrite Certified Operator, a Cellebrite Certified Physical Analyst, and Advanced Examiner in Truth Verification (CVSA), and a Certified Law Enforcement Instructor in North Carolina. She lives in Apex, NC with her husband, son and two dogs. She enjoys time with her family and going to movies.
