About the Course
This training is designed for the new investigator or detective, or any investigator new to child abuse investigations. Participants will garner current information needed for the investigation and prosecution of all types of child abuse investigations with specific emphasis on child sexual assault. We will explore state specific statutes, nuances inherent in these investigations, and discover a detailed and thorough investigative approach. Instruction and discussion include best practices, interviewing techniques, strategies for working with child protective services, and utilizing child advocacy centers. Key areas regarding delayed disclosure, recantations, corroborative evidence, vicarious trauma, and more will be explored. Students will apply what they learn through case studies and group exercises.
Your Instructor
Charlotte Fournier
Charlotte Fournier is currently a Lieutenant with the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office and is the Supervisor for the Crime Scene Investigations and Evidence Unit within the Criminal Investigations Division.
Charlotte began her law enforcement career with the Louisville Police Department in Kentucky in 1997 when she began working as a Telecommunicator. In 2004 she became a Crime Scene Technician for Louisville Metro Police. She worked in that capacity until moving to North Carolina in 2008 where she attended Basic Law Enforcement Training and was sworn in as a Deputy with the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office. Since that time, she has served as a Deputy, CSI Detective, SAFE (Sheriff’s Aggressive Field Enforcement) Team Deputy, Major Crimes Detective, and in 2019 was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. Charlotte also served two years (2017-2019) as the Investigator for the Johnston County District Attorney’s Office. During this time, Charlotte has become one of the top Child Abuse Investigators specializing in Child Sexual Assaults. She is frequently called upon from multiple agencies for her child interviewing skills utilizing the R.A.D.A.R. Protocol.
Charlotte Fournier holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Charlotte is currently working on her master’s in public administration through the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. She also holds an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice from Johnston Community College. She is a State certified General Instructor of Criminal Justice and teaches and develops a variety of law enforcement courses. In addition, she has received extensive training and is a graduate of the National Forensic Academy through the University of Tennessee (Session XVIII), Southern Police Institute, and the REID Technique to name a few.
