Journal

of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers

VOLUME 9 | Spring 2012

INSIDE

the New FLETC 

International Transportation 

Training Complex

PAGE 20

DRUG ENDANGERED CHILDREN

National experts investigate the issues and explore the solutions.

PAGE 6
What’s inside

CYNTHIA J. ATWOOD

Assistant Director

Centralized Training 

Management Directorate

I

n reviewing this issue of the FLETC Journal, 

I felt immense honor in being a part of The 

Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers 

(FLETC) and the Department of Homeland 

Security (DHS). Throughout this issue, you can 

celebrate the positive impacts our staff and 

Partners make even in the face of tremendous 

evil. Having Secretary Napolitano and TSA 

Administrator Pistole here for the opening of 

the Intermodal Training Facility (cover photo), 

was a fitting honor and tribute to the Hanson 

family, whose granddaughter Christine, was the 

youngest victim of the terrorist attacks on this 

country on September 11, 2001. A beautiful 

photo of Christine stands in the lobby as a 

reminder to all trainees who pass through the 

start-of-the-art facility, of the importance of 

our mission — to train those who protect our 

homeland. Kyle Barrington’s article emphasizes 

the need for training and interoperability 

among agencies — something we believe in and 

practice at the FLETC through consolidated law 

enforcement training.

As critical as such training and preparation 

is to the security of our homeland, this issue of 

the Journal demonstrates the FLETC’s impact 

is not limited to training to prevent and respond 

to terrorist attacks. Through our talented and 

experienced staff, we are working hard to 

educate and train law enforcement officers on 

the dangers faced by our nation’s children due 

to the decimating scourge of drugs, the sinister 

nature of cyber crimes, and the havoc and terror 

caused by a lone deranged gunman. In the face 

of so many challenges across our nation and 

around our world, the articles in this issue reflect 

the efforts we are making to fight back. Jeff 

DuPont’s riveting article reminded me of why the 

FLETC’s Back Country Tactics Training Program 

is in high demand. Ron Mullins emphasizes 

the need for professions and law enforcement 

disciplines to interact, to share information, and 

to establish standardized protocols — all factors 

emphasized through consolidated training. Jeni 

Groot-Begnaud provides an overview of the 

collaboration between our Behavioral Science 

Division and the Dallas Police Department to 

help provide the best insights possible into 

conducting successful interrogations — a 

key tool for any law enforcement officer or 

investigator. Preston Farley delivers insights into 

digital crime investigations and the advances 

made in law enforcement photography training. 

Nick Kopcho provides a glimpse into FLETC’s 

Electronic Learning Portal, the first component 

of the FLETC’s On-line Campus, in support 

of secure online training. This issue of the 

FLETC Journal is rounded out with highlights 

from Jenna Solari and John Besselman of the 

Behavioral Science Division and the Office of 

Chief Counsel, respectively, of the 2011 FLETC 

Psychology Consortium and the first Homeland 

Security Law Conference, both held at Glynco. 

Finally, given FLETC’s mission, it is particularly 

rewarding to read about our partnership with 

Fort Stewart. Through our work with both Fort 

Stewart and the Walter Reed Army Medical 

Center, we have had the privilege to assist our 

country’s Wounded Warriors prepare for their 

transition to civilian life. 

The positive accomplishments highlighted 

in the following pages, provide readers an 

opportunity to reflect on the talent, commitment, 

and dedication our employees and partners 

exhibit enterprise wide. Thank you for all you do.

Training for Reality: 

A Bureau of Land 

Management ranger 

tracks down then takes 

down a deranged gunman 

using skills learned at the 11 FLETC. 13 Case of the Shower Cam 

Victim: A 14 year veteran 

detective uses digital 

forensics tools learned 

from a FLETC advanced 

training program to catch 

a high-tech but low brow 

criminal. 

Cynthia J. Atwood

Assistant Director 

Centralized Training Management Directorate

FRONT COVER: Cutting the ribbon at the 

grand opening of the FLETC’s International 

Transportation Training Complex are (left to 

right): TSA Administrator John Pistole, Eunice 

Hanson, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, 

Lee Hanson, and FLETC Director Connie 

Patrick.
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 3

this issue

6

Drug Endangered 

Children: National 

experts investigate the 

issues and explore the 

solutions.

26

32

From the Field: One of the Featured 

Dallas Homicide Detectives Shares His 

Perspective on: A 360-Degree Look At 

Criminal Interrogation.

33

Operation Warfighter Arrives at the 

FLETC: Today there are 29 warrior 

interns at the FLETC.

34

A Collaborative Effort: The 2011 FLETC 

Psychology Consortium.

37

It can happen here. How law 

enforcement can prepare for a Mumbaistyle attack.

42

The FLETC’s online campus. Now 

available to law enforcement officers 

countrywide.

43

FLETC hosts First Homeland Security 

Law Conference.

16 Digital Forensics 

Art: Learn about 

the advances of 

law enforcement 

photography through 

the FLETC’s training 

programs. 21 The FLETC’s Newest 

Training Venue:

We take you on an 

inside tour of the 

new International 

Transportation Training 

Complex—the first of its 

kind in the world. 26Interrogation Full Circle:

Introducing A 360-Degree 

Look At Criminal 

Interrogation — A partnership 

of the FLETC and the Dallas 

Police Department. 

6

21

VOLUME 9 | Spring 2012
4 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

Journal

of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers

Director

Connie L. Patrick

Editorial Team

Dominick Braccio

Stephen W. Brooks

Jeff DuPont

Preston Farley

Alicia Gregory

Karen Lane

Ed McGuire

Bobby Masano

William Norris, Ph.D.

Susan B. Thornton

Kelly Yanko

Copy Editors

Elese Carter 

Lynna Daniels

Layout Design

Fred Charles

The Journal is an unofficial law enforcement 

training magazine produced and published by 

the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers. 

It is published and printed through the Media 

Support Division in conjunction with the 

Government Printing Office. The circulation is 

4,000 and is also available electronically by 

following the links at the FLETC website: http://

www.fletc.gov.

Views and opinions expressed in this publication 

are those of the authors, and do not necessarily 

reflect the FLETC training policy or doctrine. 

Articles, photographs, and other contributions 

are welcomed from the law enforcement 

training community and academia. Publication 

depends on general topical interest as judged 

by the editors. The editors may be contacted at 

912.267.2429.

DRUG ENDANGERED CHILDREN

Ron Mullins is currently employed as a law 

enforcement specialist at the Federal Law 

Enforcement Training Center in Artesia, 

NM. For two years previous to his move 

to Artesia, he served as the National DEC 

Training Coordinator located in San Diego 

California. In this position, he was tasked 

with coordination of training throughout 

the nation promoting a multi-disciplinary 

approach to removing children from drug 

labs and other drug environments. 

He has a law enforcement background, 

retiring in 2004 from the New Mexico 

State Police. He served as the Clandestine 

Laboratory Enforcement Team 

Commander for the last six years of his 

career. In 1994 he received a meritorious 

award from the Governor of New Mexico 

for his efforts in the formulation of the 

Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement team 

and for being instrumental in changing 

the precursor laws as well as amending 

the child abuse law to include making it a 

third degree felony to subject a child to the 

volatile, toxic environment of a drug lab. 

Holly Dye is a national expert 

on drug endangered child 

issues. After years of work 

with foster children, inpatient and out-patient drug treatment 

settings, criminal justice system research 

and working with Kentucky Drug Courts, 

Holly is the founder and Executive Director 

of the National Drug Endangered Children 

Training and Advocacy Center. She 

received her master of rehabilitation 

counseling at the University of Kentucky 

and earned a B.S. degree in child 

development. She has authored numerous 

publications, many specific to 

methamphetamine and child victimization 

and has developed programs for offending 

parents.

She is the recipient of the 2006 

Champion for Children Award and the 

2007 Federal Medical Center, Victim 

Impact Program Recognition, and received 

a 2011 Certificate of Appreciation from the 

Department of Homeland Security. She 

currently serves as a subject matter expert 

for the Drug Enforcement Administration, 

and the Federal Law Enforcement Training 

Center, Homeland Security.

TRAINING FOR REALITY

Jeff DuPont presently serves 

as a Program Specialist in 

the Driver and Marine 

Division’s Marine Training 

Branch. Since joining FLETC in 2004, 

DuPont has served as a Driving Instructor 

and as a Senior Instructor in the MTB. 

DuPont has over 15 years of uniformed 

service as a Sheriff’s deputy and as a 

trooper with the Georgia State Patrol.

DuPont is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and 

also holds a U.S. Coast Guard Merchant 

Mariner’s master’s license. He has a 

bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and is 

currently enrolled in the master’s program 

at Troy University.

CASE OF THE SHOWER CAM 

VICTIM AND DIGITAL 

FORENSICS ART

Preston L. Farley is a Senior 

Instructor for the Technical Operations 

Division at the Federal Law Enforcement 

Training Centers, where he has been an 

about them:

the contributors
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 5

instructor since 2004. 

In 2006 Farley became the Program 

Coordinator for the Seized Computer 

Evidence Recovery Specialist Training 

Program which is the introductory digital 

forensic analysis class open to all law 

enforcement officers and agents at both the 

local and federal level. 

His law enforcement career includes 20 

years as a United States Military member 

in both the active duty Air Force and the 

active duty Army culminating in nine years of 

investigative experience with the U.S. Army 

Criminal Investigation Division Command 

as a Special Agent. Farley has served in 

Germany as a Digital Crime Lab Investigator, 

a General Crimes Agent and in the Balkans 

as a War Crimes Investigator. Mr. Farley has 

specialized training in Dignitary Protective 

Services, Child Abuse Investigations, Crime 

Scene Processing, Death Investigations and 

Financial Crimes. Farley retired from the U.S. 

Army in June 2004.

INTERROGATION FULL CIRCLE: A 360o 

LOOK AT CRIMINAL INTERROGATION

Jeni A. Groot-Begnaud is a Senior Instructor 

with the Behavioral Science Division. 

Jeni’s law enforcement career includes 

eight years as a Special Agent with the 

U. S. Air Force (USAF) Office of Special 

Investigations (AFOSI) conducting felony-level 

criminal, counter-intelligence, and fraud 

investigations. Prior to becoming an AFOSI 

Special Agent, Jeni was a USAF Explosive 

Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technician. She 

holds a bachelor of science in behavioral 

science and is completing graduate work 

in pursuit of a master of science in clinical 

counseling.

A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT: 

2011 FLETC PSYCHOLOGY 

CONSORTIUM

Jenna Solari joined the FLETC 

in April 2006 as a Senior Instructor in the 

Legal Division. Prior to coming to FLETC, 

Jenna worked as a Special Agent with the 

Naval Criminal Investigative Service in the 

Washington, D.C. field office. Before entering 

law enforcement, Jenna served a tour in 

the U.S. Navy as a military prosecutor at 

the Naval Air Station Jacksonville, FL. Jenna 

has a B.A. in psychology and criminal justice 

from the University of Richmond, a J.D. 

from the University of Georgia School of 

Law, and served as a law clerk to the Hon. 

Gerald Tjoflat on the U.S. Court of Appeals 

for the Eleventh Circuit. Jenna is currently 

working as a Senior Instructor in the FLETC 

Behavioral Science Division.

IT CAN HAPPEN HERE: HOW LAW 

ENFORCEMENT CAN PREPARE FOR A 

MUMBAI-STYLE ATTACK

Kyle Barrington retired from the U.S. Army 

after 20 years of service. Barrington spent 

the last 16 years in the U.S. Army Special 

Forces. He has experience involving counter 

terrorism, hostage rescue and advanced 

explosive breaching. After his army career, 

Barrington worked two years as a military 

trainer for Northrop Grumman. In this 

position he instructed members of the USAF 

in nuclear weapon recapture operations. 

Barrington has also served as an advanced 

explosive breaching instructor for the 

Department of Energy and was a Deputy 

Sherriff for Bond County Illinois.

FLETC’S ONLINE CAMPUS GOES 

COUNTRYWIDE FOR LEOs

Nick Kopcho is an Instructional Systems 

Specialist with Federal Law Enforcement 

Training Centers’ Training Innovation 

Division. He has been the Program Manager 

for the FLETC Electronic Learning Portal 

content development since October, 2010. 

Nick has more than 20 years of experience 

developing and delivering curriculum and 

has been with the FLETC, Glynco, since July 

2009.

EDITORIAL NOTE:

Correction: The FLETC Journal article 

in the Fall 2011 edition entitled “OTC 

Technical Surveillance Countermeasures 

and Dangers to Law Enforcement Officers” 

was incorrectly credited to Mr. Curtis Shane. 

The actual author was Mr. Ken Wagoner 

of the Technical Operations Division, Law 

Enforcement Techniques Branch, Glynco. 

We apologize for any inconvenience this may 

have caused.
6 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

The child is two when her mother is arrested and sent to prison. She is left home with her father 

who begins to sexually abuse her from the age of two. Shortly after she is released from prison, 

the mother delivers a second child who is born positive for marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, 

and opiates. Eleven days later, the baby boy is brought to the emergency room and diagnosed with 

dehydration and failure to thrive as well as testing positive for drugs again. Social workers are called 

to address the situation. The baby is given several bottles and the family is offered in-home nursing 

services. Baby number three is born one year later at an out-of-area hospital to avoid intervention 

from social services. During the next year, law enforcement has been called in numerous times with 

arrests ranging from burglary, possession, trafficking, and a hate crime. Another year passes and baby 

number four is born. This child also tests positive for drugs, but is also allowed to go home with parents 

if family members agree to offer support. Now, the oldest child has gained attention of teachers who 

are concerned about abuse. She is not willing to share information with investigators, so she is left 

in the home. Months later, authorities are called to the home where the reporting officer discovers 

that an infant strapped in a carrier has been attacked by a pit bull. The child is rushed to the hospital 

by ambulance and survives. The parents provide an explanation and social workers agree to leave 

the children in the home if they are willing to get rid of the dog. Within four months, law enforcement 

officers are called in to respond to complaints of drug trafficking. They arrest the father and leave 

the mother so the children will have a place to stay. Upon the father’s release, a 9-1-1 call comes in 

to report a stabbing has taken place. The father has stabbed the children’s mother. At this time, the 

children are placed with paternal grandparents. By now, the children have come to expect daily sexual 

abuse and torture after their mom and dad get out the ‘little pipe.’ Due to the grandparent’s health 

issues, the children are moved out of state where they are supposed to remain for three weeks when 

their mother is released from jail after an outstanding warrant was served. Four children living in a 

home, each suffering neglect, physical, sexual and emotional abuse.

RONALD V. MULLINS

SENIOR INSTRUCTOR, FLETC

HOLLY DYE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NATIONAL DRUG ENDANGERED 

CHILDREN TRAINING AND ADVOCACY CENTER

Drug Endangered

Children
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 7

FAR LEFT: Law 

Enforcement Officers 

rescue an infant following 

a narcotics raid. LEFT: 

Two sisters wait at social 

services to talk with their 

caseworker.

T

he system failures are the ones we see splashed across 

newspapers and television. These four children had 

been living in a drug-fueled hell, and no one was 

able to offer enough safety to the children for the truth 

to be revealed. Children who have experienced prior 

investigations from social services and law enforcement or 

even a lifetime of frequent emergency room visits represent 

the system failure that a specific approach has the potential 

to decrease significantly. 

Chemical dependence is strongly related to repeated 

referrals for child maltreatment and accounts for as much 

as 80 percent of all substantiated child abuse.1

 Substance 

abuse is also associated among a high rate of child 

abuse potential among pregnant women.2

 In the 1980s, 

Sue Webber-Brown was a Welfare Fraud Investigator 

who observed excessive drug activity among welfare 

recipients. Brown questioned what would happen if 

child endangerment that was observed in drug homes 

was documented and pursued legally. Upon sharing her 

observations with Butte County District Attorney, Mike 

Ramsey, she was invited to join the Narcotics Investigation 

Unit as a Reserve Officer. During that time, investigation 

techniques were perfected, and to date over 3,000 children 

have been rescued. 

The concept of implementing a drug endangered 

children (DEC) investigation involves a child-centered 

focus during prioritizing, investigating, and charging 

all drug related crimes. A DEC investigation does not 

prohibit therapeutic sentencing options but instead offers 

the court additional information to ensure children’s safety 

in the process. 

A DEC investigation is completed when a drug-related 

crime is committed in a place where a child resides, visits, 

or is present. Ideally, law enforcement will co-investigate 

a drug scene with a specially assigned child protective 

services investigator. Currently, for example, if officers 

respond to a domestic violence call not resulting in arrest 

that is not reported to the supervising social worker, it 

cannot be considered when determining reunification with 

parents. Simply calling a social worker does not meet the 

standard of a DEC investigation. A DEC investigation 

encourages joint responsibility between law enforcement 

and social services for follow-up communication.

Literature supports the notion that outcomes for 

children improve when child protection workers are 

adequately trained, their service length (i.e., period of 

probation) is longer, and there is a higher number of faceto-face visits by caseworkers.3

During the operation of the Kentucky Drug Endangered 

Child Training Network grant, funded by the Appalachian 

Regional Commission, surveys indicated that children or 

evidence of children were present at an estimated four of 

every 10 drug homes investigated by law enforcement. Ask 

social services and that number increases to eight of every 

10 homes.4

 This number did not include circumstances in 

which children were not home at the time of a drug related 
8 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

knock and talk, drug bust, or domestic violence 

call involving substance abuse. It was clear that 

children were not being protected because the 

professionals in a position to protect children 

were not working together. 

All aspects of the home and the child’s life 

should be documented with photographs and 

interviews executed by a trained child protective 

services investigator along with the narcotics 

investigator. In fact, without photos and a police 

report that clearly documents the harm to a 

child, a judge may lack information necessary to 

maintain a child’s safety. Failing to ensure such 

documentation limits the ability of the court to 

ensure protection of a child. 

There are many professions, or disciplines if 

you will, that interact with these children. The 

problem is these professionals rarely interact 

with each other. They may even be suspicious 

of each other and are therefore reluctant to 

share information. The only person that suffers 

from this behavior is the child. Discretion 

should be taken away from all the disciplines. 

Standardized protocols need to be in place to 

ensure that every child rescued from a drug 

environment is treated the same way every 

time. When this doesn’t happen, the child falls 

through the cracks. When this happens, we 

have failed them. 

In order for a DEC investigation to 

successfully protect children, law enforcement 

must actively work with Child Protective 

Service workers to thoroughly assess the 

evidence that is presented. All culpable 

individuals must be held accountable and evidence presented to the 

court so appropriate orders may be made. For some offenders, prison is 

appropriate, and for others, a long-term, court-ordered program may 

be more appropriate. However, neither of these decisions should be 

made just so a child will have a place to stay unless evidence strongly 

suggests a home is free from drug use and crime. 

The homes in question frequently are filthy, littered with drug 

paraphernalia and porn. Drug world associates are in and out of the 

home all hours of the day or night thus exposing children to unsafe 

people. Infants may be used as collateral in exchange for drugs when 

money is not available. Research documents the most common 

examples of child maltreatment include the use of money to purchase 

drugs, the inability to adequately supervise children during use 

and recovery from drug use, as well as exposure to drug trafficking, 

prostitution, and other criminal activity.5

Academic journals are filled with studies of intergenerational 

transmission of abuse and poverty. The negative impact of abuse 

impacts health and wellbeing for a lifetime. Although 77 percent 

of children experiencing abuse when substance abuse is not present 

will not abuse their children. When drugs are involved, children are 

24 percent more likely to be abused.6

 Children from abusive homes 

are involved in an adult relationship with intimate partner violence 

at a rate of 36 to 42 percent compared to children with the same 

background placed in a residential treatment program resulting in 

a 14.5 percent rate of adult violence.7

 Childhood abuse is related to 

behavioral and personality problems, as well as substance abuse. 

In a case-control study, half of children testing positive for drugs 

at birth but not removed were removed by the end of the first year. 

Babies born with cocaine in their systems were almost eight times 

more likely to be abused.8 None of the babies born drug-free were 

investigated or removed from their homes within the first year. In all 

cases, and across study after study, poly-substance use is the greatest 

determinant of child maltreatment. 

Children in their teens may not know a day of being drug free 

The negative impact of 

abuse impacts health and 

wellbeing for a lifetime.
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 9

because of environmental drug exposure. They may also have been 

traded sexually by parents in exchange for drugs or given drugs to 

make them more compliant with sexual acts. Some of these children 

you will encounter as truants or runaways – status offenses that may 

be screaming ‘drug endangered child.’ Even teens becoming pregnant 

may have been perpetrated by drug world associates they have 

learned to trust as much as anyone can be trusted in the drug world. 

Women who are sexually abused are ten times more likely to become 

substance abusers. Children growing up in drug homes have greater 

access, may have been born positive for drugs, likely have not known 

a day without drugs in their system, and are more likely to have 

experienced repeated acts of physical, sexual, emotional abuse and 

neglect. Children experiencing greater than four abusive acts during 

their lifetime are at a greater risk of lifelong chronic disease including 

ischemic heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, 

diabetes, skeletal fractures and hepatitis.9

It should be noted that research indicates the importance that 

relatives chosen to provide care must be cooperative with investigating 

agencies, recognize the severity of abuse and also have access to 

resources while providing care for children to have the best overall 

outcome.10 It is especially critical that no family member be granted 

custody of children without assuring they can pass both a urine drug 

screen and a national criminal records check. 

Study after study indicates that blood is not the factor, but rather 

the length of time a child lives in a stable, violence-free home that 

improves health and well-being among children. Repeat interruptions 

in placement are harmful; a thorough investigation allowing a safe, 

stable placement is critical. Family members should not be considered 

unless it is clear that the home is safe, stable, drug-free and capable of 

protecting the child from future harm. 

The Adoption Safe Families Act of 1997 requires that children 

have a permanency plan within 15 months of removal unless a waiver 

SEE CHILDREN PAGE 40

A LAW ENFORCEMENT

PERSPECTIVE

RONALD V. MULLINS

SENIOR INSTRUCTOR, FLETC

Prior to my retirement from the New Mexico State 

Police, I was assigned as the commander of the 

Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement Team. I thought 

I was prepared for just about anything. In my tenure 

as a police officer I was assigned to Patrol, Criminal 

Investigations, and the Narcotics Bureau. I have 

witnessed, like many of you, man’s worst inhumanity 

to mankind and children. Nothing however, prepared 

me for what I would witness when I began entering 

and dismantling drug labs.

The drug lab is a truly evil place. There exist 

saturated carpets, chemicals, animal and human 

feces, guns and booby traps everywhere. There 

would be no food or rotting food everywhere. Most of 

the time the plumbing didn’t work; the entire house 

would be in total disarray. Floors are littered with 

clothing and other material. 

Extreme pornography was found in every room and 

floors were littered with sex toys. Backyards were 

stacked with discarded chemical containers and 

toxic waste from the cooking process. Sophisticated 

instrumentation used to check levels of explosiveness 

and contamination would be almost off the scale. Is 

there any more dangerous activity you can perform in 

police work today? 

In the beginning, I did as many others did when 

confronted with the problem of children at the crime 

scene. Our thought process was “What are we 

going to do with these kids?” You see, it wasn’t our 

problem. We were there to arrest the bad guys and 

dismantle that dangerous lab. We often would pass 

them off to nearby relatives or neighbors that would 

CONTINUED PAGE 10

They may also have been 

traded sexually by parents in 

exchange for drugs or given 

drugs to make them more 

compliant with sexual acts.
10 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

take them or the first non-felon that walked through the door. It 

turns out we sometimes handed them off to people that were 

worse than the people we were arresting!

I called this process a ‘mistake of the head not of the heart.’ As 

soon as it was discovered that we were actually harming children 

by this process, we stopped doing it. Many times, endangerment 

charges were never filed. These children were caught in a 

revolving door of abuse and we, unfortunately were assisting 

towards that endeavor. 

I became involved with the practice begun by Sue WebberBrown in California. I found that by not placing the children with 

CPS, the abused and neglected children we encountered in drug 

labs were not getting the medical testing or cognitive testing 

that should be done every time a child was identified as a drug 

endangered child. Those same children were soon placed back 

in that abusive environment only to have us kicking in the door a 

month or two later. 

Children found in drug homes often experience parentification, 

which refers to a child acting as the adult in the family. It was 

common to find a six-year-old taking complete care of his or 

her younger siblings. To take one child away from siblings that 

in many ways have become like adults, is devastating to them. 

Sadly, because of rampant sexual abuse, it may be necessary 

to separate children for periods of treatment. Doing nothing, 

however, sends a clear message: “Nobody wants you, nobody 

cares about you and as a human being you have no value.” It is 

simply important to insist that children all go together. The bond 

they have must be protected as much as possible. 

I have lectured nationwide and psychosocial experts across the 

board agree that if there is realistic and continuous intervention, 

procedural memory can be changed. They will all tell you that at 

first, these children are a little hard to love. They are angry and 

acting out. If you take the time to change how they feel about 

themselves, something almost magical happens. Once they 

know and understand they have value, those behaviors begin to 

diminish. There is a transformation. These children prove to be 

very resilient. The question we have to ask ourselves, if we know 

this to be true, and it has been proved over and over, why don’t we 

create an environment where this can happen?

When I was an undercover narcotics agent, I used to think 

there was no hope for a child that was subjected to an abusive 

atmosphere. I used to believe that if things didn’t change for them 

within the first few years of their lives, they were doomed. These 

children are at risk, not doomed and life can be very different for 

them if we do the things we need to do to change their course. 

Studies show it can happen at any age. Some of you reading this 

are those former children. I know with certainty that somewhere 

along the way, you found a safe adult that made you feel valued, 

made you feel loved. 

I had an older man tell me after a lecture that he had grown 

up in an abusive home. He told me his father was an alcoholic 

that beat him all the time and yet, he had turned out OK. He was 

a good husband and father. He told me he didn’t fit that mold. I 

responded by telling him I knew there had to be one person in his 

life that made him feel valued, that loved him and nurtured him. 

He was silent for a moment then started sobbing. He shook his 

head and said “That is true. My mother made me feel that way. 

She made me feel as if I was special every day of my life.” I told 

him it was his mother who was his salvation.

Studies tell me that in 1980 we arrested approximately 

260,000 people on drug related offenses and spent approximately 

1.5 billion dollars on drug interdiction. Twenty years later the 

federal government alone spent 20 billion dollars on drug 

interdiction and the states matched that amount totaling 40 billion 

dollars and yet we incarcerated 1.6 million people on drug related 

offenses. Total cost now to the United States is about 50 billion 

dollars a year just to keep them locked up. In the last 20 years 

California built 20 new prisons and only one university. Drugs are 

cheaper, purer and more abundant than they have ever been.

Do we continue along this course until we are spending our 

gross national product keeping people locked up? We cannot keep 

doing what we have always done and expect different results. The 

problem of drug addiction cannot be arrested away. People are 

tired of hearing about the “War on Drugs.” We can win the war 

on drugs but it will take the rescue, sheltering, defending and 

supporting of this nation’s drug endangered children to do it.■

Sue Webber-Brown, a Welfare Fraud Investigator, 

holds an infant following a narcotics raid on a home.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 11

JEFF DUPONT

PROGRAM SPECIALIST, FLETC

A MONTANA RANGER AND 

FLETC GRADUATE TAKES 

DOWN A DERANGED GUNMAN

J

anuary 17, 2009, started out like any typical 

Saturday in the small town of Glasgow, located 

in northeastern Montana. On this particular 

day, it was clear and cold in the Big Sky country. 

Abundant snowfall had carpeted the eastern plains 

and the below zero temperatures had all of the area roads 

snow packed and icy. Residents were busy attending to 

many of the same things that they would ordinarily do on 

a Saturday morning, but little did they know, their lives 

were about to take a drastic turn for the worse.

The morning had turned to afternoon and at 

approximately 4:30 p.m., a lone sniper with no apparent 

motive, concealed near the parking lot of the local hospital 

decided to take his first shot. Moments later, a 37 year old 

Emergency Medical Technician and mother of four lay 

motionless on the icy ground; killed instantly from a lethal 

bullet wound. Upon hearing gunfire, a nurse who was on 

duty at the hospital, along with her husband, ran to the 

fallen victim to render aid, but were both hit themselves 

while attempting to rescue the victim, who unbeknownst 

to them, was already dead. Although both would-be 

rescuers were wounded, they were able to retreat to the 

cover of their vehicle where the husband retrieved his own 

weapon, contacted 9-1-1 and then returned fire, holding 

the gunman at bay until officers from the Glasgow Police 

Department arrived and engaged the shooter in a gun 

battle.

During the exchange of fire, the gunman was wounded, 

although not mortally and then quickly retreated 

to the thick cover of the nearby Milk River, located 

approximately 40 feet away from where he initially started 

his rampage. Unsure of the gunman’s location or his next 

move, Glasgow police quickly locked down the town and 

sent out a request for help from any and all available law 

enforcement.

At around 6 p.m. Ranger Alex Steven Burke, of the 
12 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

Bureau of Land Management, and a graduate of the 

FLETC, was headed to town to meet a friend for dinner 

following a well deserved day off. Ranger Burke is 

responsible for patrolling a vast area in the northeastern 

part of the state and after a long week, was looking forward 

to a quiet evening and some quality time with friends.

The roadblock that was set by the Glasgow Police was 

the first indicator that something was amiss as Ranger 

Burke approached and soon found out. The local police 

explained the situation to the off-duty Ranger who 

immediately called dispatch to go in-service. Ranger 

Burke quickly returned home, changed into duty gear and 

responded to the call for assistance. While in-route, Burke’s 

friend and occasional co-worker, Phillip Wright of the 

U.S. Border Patrol was summoned and met with Ranger 

Burke and the two of them, along with a local officer and a 

canine, soon took up the trail of the killer.

The tracking conditions were difficult. The canine was 

not a tracking dog, so Burke and Wright had to rely upon 

their skill as backcountry trackers to stay on the trail. The 

frozen ground had been tainted with signs from other 

officers, livestock and numerous wild animals, which made 

staying on track extremely difficult, especially under the 

stressful circumstances that come with knowing what may 

be waiting for them at the end of the trail. One thing that 

Burke and Wright used to their advantage was the subtle 

drops of blood that had been left on the newly fallen snow 

by the wounded gunman. Burke explained that at first, 

they noticed the blood around every forty yards or so, but 

eventually that diminished to around every four hundred 

yards or more.

After two and a half hours on the trail, Burke, Wright 

and the canine officer found themselves down beside the 

Milk River, several miles away from the initial incident. 

Their perseverance and determination to stay on the trail 

was about to come to fruition. Burke said that all of a 

sudden they experienced a “very weird sensation” sort of 

a “sixth sense” telling them that the killer was very close. 

They would later find out that he was less than 100 yards 

away, when Ranger Burke made a call to dispatch, updating 

them on their present location and situation. At this point 

Burke noticed several drops of fresh blood on the frozen 

ground and was in the process of telling the dispatcher that 

they were close, when Wright suddenly yells out, “Show 

me your hands; show me your hands, knife!”

Following the verbal commands issued by Wright, the 

next sequence of events all happened in less than a minute, 

“very quickly” as described by Burke. Wright was in the 

lead, followed by the canine officer, then Burke and an 

unknown local officer brought up the rear. Burke had 

relayed to dispatch that they had contacted the suspect and 

then quickly terminated the call and focused full attention 

on the direction where Wright was looking and shouting 

commands. 

Without warning, the suspect exploded from his hiding 

place, running an erratic pattern, toward the tracking party, 

with a knife in hand. At approximately 40 to 50 yards 

away, Ranger Burke yelled out “Shoot, shoot, I’m going 

to shoot,” as the canine officer simultaneously released his 

dog who attacked the armed assailant. Just as the dog was 

about to put the bite on the attacker, he recklessly and 

wildly swung the knife, cutting the dogs mouth, breaking 

off one of its teeth, causing the dog to disengage as the 

attacker continued his advance toward the officers. As the 

suspect closed the distance, the canine officer fired a single 

shot, but Ranger Burke noticed that the attacker didn’t 

react. The officer had missed and did not fire a second shot. 

At this point, Burke took over.

Ranger Alex Steven Burke—more precisely Alexandra 

Steven Burke—then stepped into harm’s way and shielded 

the other officers from any further onslaught. She leveled 

her Remington model 870 and fired a single round of 

buckshot, which delivered 15 pellets right on target. 

The threat was eliminated. Instinctively, Burke reloaded 

and tactically approached the motionless suspect and 

handcuffed the now lifeless body. Although she knew the 

suspect was more than likely dead, she thought earlier 

during the search that the suspect they had been tracking 

could possibly have been wearing body armor, prompting 

her to take the extra precaution by applying the handcuffs. 

The search for the dangerous fugitive was now over and all 

of the officers that had been involved in the sniper incident 

THE FROZEN GROUND HAD BEEN 

TAINTED WITH SIGNS FROM OTHER 

OFFICERS, LIVESTOCK AND NUMEROUS 

WILD ANIMALS, WHICH MADE STAYING 

ON TRACK EXTREMELY DIFFICULT...

SEE TRACK DOWN PAGE 41
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 13

The Case of the

Shower 

Cam Victim

PRESTON FARLEY

SENIOR INSTRUCTOR, FLETC

Detective David Roose, a 14-year veteran officer with 

the Euclid Ohio Police Department

It happens hundreds of times a day. A friend of a friend 

knows someone who is willing to help, purely from the 

kindness of their heart. Most of the time, that’s exactly what 

happens. Those who have, help those who don’t, and the world 

continues to turn. Every once in a while the story turns 

sinister; something is not quite as it seems. What appears “too 

good to be true” actually is. This is one of those stories.

FLETC Digital Forensics Training 

leads to plea by Sexual Predator
14 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

Awoman was offered free rent, until she got on 

her feet, after graduating college. With college 

loans and routine living expenses all coming 

due, not paying rent was a big deal. She was single and 

so was the home owner, a friend of a college friend. Her 

friend had known the landlord for years and trusted 

him implicitly. Her friend had even lived in his home, 

as a guest, for a time. There was one small issue with the 

shower. It was “under repair” which explained the large 

hole in the wall. He had just not gotten around to fixing 

it quite yet. With everything else looking so good, that 

was not a big issue.

Things went well for months, but there was something 

nagging in the back of the victim’s mind. Every time 

she showered, the landlord could be heard climbing the 

stairs to his office, which was adjacent to the bathroom. 

The first few months this went unnoticed, but then it 

became odd. Finally, one day, the victim decided to 

explore the suspect’s room and see just what was behind 

the shower wall. What she found shocked her.

 It was a routinely depressing call to the Euclid Ohio 

Police Department concerning voyeurism. The victim 

stated she found video recording equipment with the 

digital camera focused on her shower. A nearby computer 

was connected to the Internet and explicit images 

were observed on the computer screen. There was also 

evidence of prior shower-cam victims. A search warrant 

was granted by the court and a search of the premises 

was conducted. 

The investigation eventually revealed evidence, not 

only the surreptitious videotaping of unsuspecting 

house guests, but also the suspect uploading those videos 

to a commercial pornography site in Asia for global 

dissemination. Not surprisingly, there were child 

pornographic downloads as well.

While the crimes remain the same, the technology used 

to accomplish them has improved, along with every other 

technological breakthrough in the past 25 years. Cameras, 

computers, even firearms, are all tools which may be used 

for good or misused for evil. As these tools are used in the 

commission of crimes, it is the responsibility of professional 

law enforcement officers to learn how to conduct forensic 

examinations of them and present that evidence in the 

courts of law. Digital forensics is now a central discipline 

in the fight against crime in the modern world. It seems its 

importance grows with each passing day.

What the previous story did not tell you is that the 

officer assigned to the investigation did not possess the 

knowledge to conduct the investigation when he assisted 

in seizing the evidence. The seizure occurred a week before 

he was scheduled to attend the Federal Law Enforcement 

Training Centers’ Technical Operations Division Seized 

Computer Evidence Recovery Specialist Training Program 

at the Glynco campus. Detective David Roose, a 14-year 

veteran officer, was assigned as the digital forensic officer in 

early 2011. Roose had attended FLETC computer training 

before, beginning with the Mobile Device Investigator 

Program, which focuses on seizing and analyzing portable 

devices (like smart phones). Shortly thereafter, he attended 

the Digital Evidence Acquisition Specialist Training 

Program, which provided him with the skills and tools to 

seize a forensically sound digital copy of the evidence found 

on the suspect’s computers and allied digital media. 

In a question and answer interview with Roose, he 

explains how the FLETC advanced classes provided the 

technical foundation for properly retrieving the digital 

evidence from the crime scene detailed in the story. 

Question: How long have you been a police officer?

ROOSE: 14 years.

Q: What digital forensic training did you have prior to 

attending FLETC? 

ROOSE: None, I studied computer programming in college, 

but had no formal digital forensic training.

Q: Why are you at FLETC now, in November of 2011?

ROOSE: I’m taking (FLETC’s) Recovery of Evidence 

from CCTV Video Recordings course, as this is yet 

another avenue of digital forensics which, while it has 

many similarities with computer forensics, it has as 
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 15

many differences, which makes it necessary to attend

specialized training to properly investigate.

Q: Can you tell me a few details about the specific 

case involving the voyeur that you investigated?

ROOSE: We knew it was a digital camera from the 

photos the victim took when she discovered the crime. 

This made it a digital crime investigation. Prior to 

this case, we had always utilized an outside agency to 

process our digital evidence. It was not unusual for our 

evidence to take 12 to 18 months to get processed by the 

regional lab. This resulted in a lot of digital evidence not 

being used by the prosecutors, as they couldn’t wait this 

amount of time to prosecute for non-violent offenses. 

Since attending FLETC training, it has added impetus 

for us to process cases on our own.

Upon returning from SCERS, I set up my issued 

forensic computer and began imaging the evidence from 

this case immediately. I was able to review three digital 

cameras, three personal computers, 12 external hard disk 

drives and some 3,000 compact disks or other external 

storage devices. I interviewed the suspect after the search 

warrant. He confessed and admitted to the possibility 

of “other stuff ” in a large download file, which I found 

on his hard drive. After I reviewed the evidence on his 

computer, he also admitted to uploading videos of his 

house guests to a commercial pornographic web site. As 

for the “other stuff ” it turned out to be child sexual abuse 

imagery which revealed segregation of the photos by age, 

pose and physical characteristics. The folders were very 

well organized, which is typical for child pornography 

curators. 

For cases like this, we are able to use Internet Crimes 

Against Children trained prosecutors. It is crucial that 

the prosecutor is trained in the field of digital forensics, 

so that the evidence is interpreted properly and the issues 

that the defense may raise are dealt with intelligently. 

Within two weeks of my analysis of the evidence, the 

case was ready for presentation to the grand jury. 

As I was unable to present the case to the grand 

jury myself, my partner, based upon my written report, 

presented the case. This resulted in an indictment. My 

partner was not what you would consider an experienced 

computer crime detective; a 33-year police veteran who 

has had limited computer training and has only been 

using e-mail for the past few years. However, due to 

the training I received in SCERS, the necessary level of 

detail and adherence to the basics, allowed the evidence 

and analysis to speak for itself through my report. 

About a month into the investigation, I was notified 

that the defense wanted our evidence for discovery. The 

subject hired a top-notch attorney who, in turn, hired a 

digital forensic defense expert to review my examination. 

As you can imagine, I was a little apprehensive at having 

my first analysis being scrutinized at this level. The trial 

was held three months later. The subject pled guilty and 

received seven years of confinement and must register as 

a tier-2 sexual predator for 25 years. There were no flaws 

in my report mentioned by the defense in the courtroom. 

Again, my SCERS training proved itself as current, 

accurate, and broad enough in scope to be of real-world 

assistance immediately upon graduation. 

My department could never have afforded the 

hardware alone, much less the software and the training 

provided by FLETC, without assistance from the Office 

of State and Local Training. The training at the FLETC 

is phenomenal. I could not have accomplished this 

investigation without the training and tools provided 

by the FLETC. This is a dividend which I plan to draw 

upon for all future digital investigations.

Currently, all of the digital forensics training conducted 

by the FLETC Technical Operations Division occurs 

in building 217 on the Glynco campus. This is officially 

known as the Technical Operations Training Facility. 

Due to the melding of the computer world and the 

worlds of video and photography, FLETC leadership 

decided to put the focus of these disciplines under 

one roof a few years ago. A year of planning and 

construction and $8 million dollars later, there is now a 

state-of-the-art facility designed to provide the optimum 

learning environment for these technologies. This 

facility is uniquely staffed by seasoned law enforcement 

professionals who are bridging the gap between high 

technology and LEO students in the classroom as only 

FLETC can provide. For more information about the 

digital forensics training, visit www.fletc.gov/tod or 

e-mail Preston.Farley@dhs.gov.
16 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

T

he process known as 

photography has been 

with us for quite some 

time now. The concept of 

photography was described 

as early as the 6th century BC, but it 

took chemists until the 19th century 

to perfect the process. The first 

permanent photograph was created 

by a French inventor in 1826. It was 

an eight-hour exposure! The first 

photograph of a human being was 

taken in 1838 when the exposure 

time was reduced to “a few minutes.” 

The photographic process was a 

chemical reaction between light and 

light-sensitive chemicals embedded 

on glass and eventually plastic, e.g. 

film. That process is collectively 

known as “wet” photography due 

to the chemical emulsions required 

to process the film. At first, images 

were only available in “black and 

white” due to the rudimentary nature 

of the technology. The first color 

photograph was created in 1861, 

but not commercialized until the 

1890’s. Kodachrome was the first 

modern color film, introduced by 

Kodak in 1935. The next revolution 

of photography was the leap from 

chemical-based images to digital ones. 

This occurred in Kodak’s labs in 1975, 

but Kodak’s management didn’t see 

any potential for the technology and 

let it languish. This Kodak prototype 

weighed in at a svelte eight pounds, 

recorded a black and white image 

to a cassette tape, took 23 seconds to 

capture an image and had a resolution 

of 10,000 pixels or 0.01 megapixels, 

a measurement we are more familiar 

with today. Given those pathetic 

statistics, Kodak management 

PRESTON FARLEY

SENIOR INSTRUCTOR, FLETC

FLETC Offers 

Relevant, 

Realistic 

Crime Scene 

Training

Digital 

Forensics 

Art

Lee Hanson
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 17

opted to ignore further research in this endeavor. Then 

in 1981 Sony introduced the first digital camera to the 

public called the Sony Mavica. The Japanese company 

had managed to overcome the engineering obstacles and 

produce a truly portable digital camera. However, it wasn’t 

until 1991 that Kodak introduced the DCS 100, the first 

commercially available digital single lens reflex camera, 

which really heralded the beginning of commercial digital 

photography because its resolution was in an acceptable 

range for that market. 

Law enforcement saw the value of photography early 

on. The first documented use of photography by law 

enforcement was in Switzerland in 1854. An effective and 

prolific robbery crew had been working in that country 

for over a year. The crew was very shrewd in that they left 

no discernable clues at the crime scene and none of the 

stolen artifacts were ever recovered in that country. The 

investigation did lead to some suspects who were rounded 

up, questioned, and photographed. One of the suspects 

would not answer any questions and there was virtually 

nothing known about him. His photograph was taken 

and then distributed to all of the Swiss law enforcement 

agencies and to surrounding countries. Villagers from 

his home town recognized him and identified him to 

police. The unknown person’s picture was shown to prison 

wardens who recognized the man and revealed his past 

as a professional criminal. When finally confronted with 

this information, the suspect then confessed to being 

the mastermind of the operation.1

 In the 1840s, it was 

discovered that Belgium police were already using mug 

shots in their criminal justice proceedings. The first 

documented use of photography in the United States 

court was in California in 1859. The case involved the 

question of legality of a land grant deed, supposedly 

signed by the acting Governor. The judges in the case 

compared photographs of actual signatures with the 

alleged signature of the acting Governor. Through analysis 

of the photographs, and testimonial evidence, the court 

determined that the document was a forgery. Luco et al. V. 

United States, 23 Howard 515 (1859).

Of course, with any new technology there is always 

resistance, both passive and active. The law enforcement 

agency with which I was previously affiliated issued all of 

its offices first generation digital cameras (Fuji DS-220) 

in the mid-1990s but their resolution was insufficient 

for the task that 35mm wet film had been doing for the 

previous 50 or so years. They were removed from service 

after just a couple of months. It took a couple more years 

before the next iteration of digital cameras were issued 

and their resolution was deemed sufficient for forensic 

purposes. A clear advantage of digital photography over 

wet is immediacy. The officer can immediately observe the 

image he has captured and determine if it is sufficient for 

forensic purposes. If not, adjustments to the image capture 

can be made and the shot retaken. Another advantage is 

the relative economy of taking digital photographs versus 

wet film. Once you purchase digital “film,” it is reusable for 

thousands of photographs. Additionally, there is virtually 

zero cost for “developing” the images; simply copy them to 

your computer for archiving and/or printing. The drawback 

to digital photography is its lack of resolution compared 

to wet. It is estimated that a 35mm negative captures 

the equivalent of 175 million pixels (megapixels) in 

digital terms! That being said, the vast majority of images 

captured for law enforcement purposes do not have to 

have the resolution of which wet photography is capable. 

In fact, the average “enthusiast” digital single lens reflex 

camera at the $1,000 mark is currently rated at only 14 to 

16 megapixels. We’ve all seen the beautiful photographs 

taken by this level of camera. 

OPPOSITE: An example of ultra-violet light to document a latent fingerprint with fluorescent 

powder. ABOVE: Oblique lighting is used to reveal indented writing underneath the document 

actually written on. ABOVE RIGHT: Macrophotography detailing micro-printing on U.S. currency 

for counterfeiting analysis. 
18 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

As digital camera technology advances, it attempts to 

usurp all of the niches formerly occupied by wet film. 

Remember how mug shots were once the province of 

Polaroid “instant” processing? Or travel cameras with 110 

film were purchased at tourist spots? Today we see digital 

cameras dominate all of these areas. With respect to travel 

photography, the ubiquity of the digital camera in the 

cell phone cannot be ignored. The quality of photographs 

in these multiuse devices has been increasing as well. In 

fact, the saturation of cameras in our society has created 

conditions for new crimes such as sexting. This term is 

used to describe minors taking photos of themselves in 

nude or partially-nude poses and texting them to others. 

There have been many criminal cases revolving around this 

phenomenon in the past few years with both adults and 

minors being charged with production, possession and/or 

distribution of child pornography. The law of unintended 

consequences is clearly at work here. 

Another issue which affected the adoption of digital 

photography in the law enforcement realm was image 

manipulation. Or rather, how easy it is to digitally 

manipulate digital photographs. As the relative power and 

ease-of-use of digital image manipulation software became 

known, some questioned the value of digital photographs 

in forensics at all. The argument was that the temptation to 

“enhance” a digital image might be too great for an officer 

to resist if it would “make” his case. I, as well as many 

other professional law enforcement officers, forcefully 

reject this argument and its implications. As with any 

other tool at a LE officer’s disposal, how that tool is used 

is the crucial fact. If an officer is willing to sacrifice his 

integrity using a computer to manipulate an image, then 

that officer is already compromised and is likely cutting 

corners in many other areas as well. This is not an issue 

of the technology being inherently unethical, but rather 

the user. Additionally, given the state of the art in digital 

image analysis today, it is virtually impossible to pass off a 

manipulated image as the real McCoy. 

All of this discussion brings us to current training in this 

field at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers’ 

ABOVE: An example of diffused lighting sources to 

document latent fingerprints on a reflective surface. 

OPPOSITE: An example of using laser light to track ballistic 

trajectories for crime scene analysis and reconstruction.
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 19

Technical Operations Division and its Digital Photography 

for Law Enforcement Training Program; www.fletc.gov/

dple. This program has been offered at the Glynco campus 

for a number of years and is the “big brother” to the crime 

scene photography course which is provided to all basic 

academy students in the Criminal Investigator Training 

Program. DPLE was developed to address the need for 

professional, authoritative instruction into the many facets 

of photography in the law enforcement world. This course 

is for LE personnel who have already had exposure (pun 

intended) to digital photography but want to drastically 

increase their proficiency. The eight-day course begins 

with the fundamentals of photography and the science 

behind capturing light. It then moves into the particulars 

of digital photography by introducing a forensic-capable 

digital camera and flash which the students are issued as 

part of the curriculum. As with all TOD courses, to the 

greatest extent possible, the students are issued field-ready 

investigative equipment while attending the course. DPLE 

is no exception. The other aspect of digital photography, 

that of image handling and post-production on a personal 

computer are also addressed by issuing and training on 

industry standard digital photo processing software. 

As with all TOD courses, classroom time is only part 

of the training. There are numerous field labs in which 

specific aspects of photography are tested and reinforced. 

Some of these labs include: crime scene documentation, 

macrophotography and investigative and surveillance 

photography. One particularly interesting lab involves 

“painting” a night time scene with light. The scenario is 

that your crime scene is in near total darkness, but must 

be accurately documented by photography. By using the 

techniques taught in the classroom, a student is able to 

turn a dark alley into a noon-day scene for documentation 

purposes. Another fascinating use of forensic photography 

is that of documenting projectile trajectories such as 

bullet holes through walls or doors. Students are shown 

how to use lasers to visually represent single or multiple 

trajectories in a crime scene. (See photo below.) Finally, as 

evidence of its thoroughness, this course has been approved 

by the Crime Scene Certification Board of International 

Association for Identification as meeting the requirements 

necessary for training and professional development 

towards crime scene certification or recertification.

 As we have seen, there is a long history of photography 

in the criminal justice environs. The FLETC, through 

DPLE, is now addressing this science head-on with 

relevant, modern, realistic crime scene training using state 

of the art tools and technology to ensure criminal justice 

is being taught at the highest possible level. Now, smile for 

the camera.

1 http://www.forensic-evidence.com/site/EVID/LegalPhotog.html. 
20 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

The FLETC recently held its International 

Transportation Training Complex Ribbon Cutting 

Ceremony at the FLETC HQ in Glynco, Georgia. The 

facility was dedicated to the youngest victim of 9/11, 

Christine Lee Hanson.

DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano was the keynote 

speaker at the event, which was part of the DHS 10th 

Anniversary of 9/11 commemoration activities. “This 

facility reflects the intermodal nature of transportation, and 

the fact that today, getting from one place to another often 

involves taking more than one mode of transportation. This 

interconnectedness provides great advantages for travel and 

commerce, but also creates potential vulnerabilities.”

This first of its kind facility significantly enhances the 

FLETC’s ability to provide frontline law enforcement 

personnel with advanced, realistic and scenario-based 

training to better deter and combat evolving threats across 

major transportation modes. 

During the ceremony a photo was presented to the 

paternal grandparents of Christine Lee Hanson. The 

child’s aunt and cousin also attended the ceremony. Other 

attendees at the event included TSA Administrator John 

Pistole, Congressional staffers and local community 

leaders. 

 “We have not forgotten what happened on September 

11th of 2001,”said FLETC Director Connie Patrick. 

“We’ve taken to heart the 9/11 Commission observation 

that law enforcement and the intelligence community 

suffered a “failure of imagination,” and vow that we will 

work hard to train those on the front lines who work to 

deter and prevent such acts of terror on the Homeland.”

In Memoriam

The Ribbon Cutting

ABOVE: Photo of Christine Lee Hanson, 

the youngest 9/11 victim, is displayed 

at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the 

International Transportation Training 

Complex.
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 21

Law Enforcement professionals at the Federal Law Enforcement 

Training Centers can now receive hands-on, scenario-based training 

in a realistic, state-of-the-art International Transportation Training 

Complex, or Intermodal, that is the first of its kind worldwide. Its 

purpose is to enhance the DHS mission to defeat terrorism, protect critical 

infrastructure, expand comprehensive trans-border security and provide 

effective incident management as well as meet the FLETC mission to train 

those who protect the homeland.

Planes,Trains and...

the 

Intermodal

ABOVE LEFT: Lee Hanson, 

Eunice Hanson, DHS Secretary 

Janet Napolitano, Kathy (the 

Hansons’ daughter), Alexandra 

(the Hansons’ granddaughter). 

CENTER: Secretary Napolitano is 

greeted upon her arrival by FLETC 

Director Connie Patrick. RIGHT: 

Secretary Napolitano is briefed 

inside the Intermodal building 

by Assistant Director Dominick 

Braccio. LEFT: The Intermodal 

plays a role as a transportation 

hub. It comes equipped with 

planes, train cars, and buses. 
22 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

at a glance:

the intermodal experience
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 23
24 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

As training needs emerge for federal, state, local and 

rural officers and the threat to our nation’s transportation 

systems remains a constant, the Intermodal Training 

Facility will enable the FLETC to provide fast, focused 

and flexible training to all stakeholders. Scenarios can 

continually be developed as new threats emerge or are 

anticipated and applied to any training program that 

FLETC conducts. 

The Intermodal training facility includes a subway 

system, train station, international airport and a bus 

terminal with ticket counters, food court and waiting areas, 

and it represents a shift in how students are trained. The 

facility is designed to “get students out of the classroom 

and into a realistic venue in order to practice strategies 

to protect these various modes of transportation,“ said 

Dominick Braccio, assistant director of the Glynco 

Training Directorate.

FLETC wanted the hands-on training to be so real 

that there’s a food court and airline gates. There are two 

gates in the airport: one is Gate 9 and the other is 11. 

Everything in the facility pays tribute to 9/11, from the 

gates to the airplanes. On board the planes, there are 

four classrooms which are numbered to match the flight 

numbers associated with events of September 11, 2001. 

The intermodal venue allows law enforcement to improve 

on its imagination of anticipated threats in a reality-based 

environment and to shift into problem solving quickly. 

It also gives law enforcement the ability to conduct 

scenarios involving multiple agencies and enhance tactical 

capabilities. 

For example, many of the students FLETC trains 

in its Uniform Police Training Program will report to 

major cities in the United States and will be expected 

to protect the United States Capitol, the White House, 

the Washington Monument, and other federal buildings 

and national monuments and landmarks. These officers 

will be expected to interact daily with the public while 

remaining vigilant and responsive to a number of incidents 

that can occur on any given day. The intense training 

within the Intermodal site will help prepare them for this 

task, said Braccio. It will also enhance the cooperation 

and communication between law enforcement officers 

responding to a large, possibly violent criminal event such 

as the September 11, 2001 terroristic attack. 

“We want them to rehearse and practice together and 

become familiar with one another here in a training 

environment. We don’t want them to meet for the first 

time at an emergency or at the next Ground Zero,” Braccio 

said. 

Carl Milazzo, chief of FLETC’s Counterterrorism 

Division, predicts that on any given day, more than 100 law 

enforcement students will eventually train at the site. For 

example, inside the simulated aircraft, contracted roleplayers will be used in scenarios so students will learn how 

SUBWAY TO NOWHERE: 

Although it is stationary 

this subway car has 

all the features of 

a real one. It was 

custom built inside the 

intermodal facility.
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 25

to react to various situations. Outside the rail yard, trainers 

can replicate a chemical attack, with smoke machines and 

in the subway venue, training can occur both on board and 

underneath the subway car. 

“It’s constructed in such a way you could have a SWAT 

team come in here and practice as if there was some type 

of criminal act or terrorist attack,” Milazzo said. “Inside the 

aircraft, students will be taught how they need to respond 

to these types of situations through scenario after scenario 

and drill on the needed response skills,” he added. The 

Counterterrorism Division is also conducting hazardous 

materials labs, physical security training and aircraft 

countermeasures classes in the facility. 

Prior to the opening of the new training site, students 

often conducted simulated field interviews in sterile 

environments; however, staff with FLETC’s Behavioral 

Science Division (responsible for providing law 

enforcement professionals with an understanding of 

human behavior) developed interview scenarios that take 

advantage of the interactive, realistic Intermodal setting. 

Students are expected to interview and communicate with 

the public, witnesses, victims and suspects while continuing 

to be aware of their surroundings and the activities going 

on in the various transportation modes surrounding them. 

According to BSD Chief Ariana Roddini, the UPTP 

students going through the new training scenarios 

have expressed their appreciation for the realism of the 

setting, and she plans for additional scenarios at the 

site for students attending the Criminal Investigator 

Training Program. “Additionally, BSD has plans to use 

the intermodal venues for an entire day of scenarios in a 

new program being developed, the Behavioral Recognition 

Interviewing Training Program,” Roddini added. 

Many federal agencies have already used the Intermodal 

Training Facility since its opening. The Bureau of Alcohol 

Tobacco and Firearms conducted canine training in 

the facility. The Drug Enforcement Administration in 

cooperation with the FLETC Office of State and Local 

conducted training involving interdiction enforcement 

in an intermodal environment. Furthermore, FLETC 

is in discussions with the Transportation Security 

Administration to collaborate on joint training and the 

agency’s use of the Intermodal facility. Also, U.S. Customs 

and Border Protection officers are utilizing the facility to 

instruct basic officers in processing of trade and cargo and 

in the processing and preservation of evidence. 

“We are going from those lessons learned to lessons 

anticipated. The mindset we want to have here is that we 

want to anticipate what a criminal may do, what a terrorist 

may do, and we want to be in front of them. We want to 

thwart that from happening,” Braccio said. 

SUBWAY ARREST: A FLETC 

student and roleplayer 

demonstrate handcuffing 

techniques at the FLETC’s 

International Transportation 

Training Complex
26 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

How the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers partnered 

with the Dallas Police Department to develop an innovative 

video-based training medium.

Interrogation

Full Circle
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 27

JENI A. GROOT-BEGNAUD

SENIOR INSTRUCTOR, FLETC

Henry David Thoreau once said, “It takes 

two to speak truth, one to speak and 

another to hear.” While the philosopher 

certainly was not referring to criminal 

interrogations, this principle very much 

applies when an investigator sits across from a suspect 

in search of the truth behind an allegation. The 

Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers Behavioral 

Science Division strives to equip federal, state, and 

local law enforcement professionals with the best 

training possible as they work to obtain the truth. 

Recently, the division partnered with the Dallas Police 

Department to develop and field a groundbreaking, 

new, video-based training tool, A 360-Degree Look At 

Criminal Interrogation. The training tool recognizes 

truth is found during criminal interrogations through 

an interaction involving two individuals with unique 

perspectives on that complex process and provides 

comprehensive analysis of the dynamics and decisions 

that influence the outcome of an interrogation. This 

article explains the development and implementation 

of A 360-Degree Look At Criminal Interrogation and 

includes the story of the collaboration from the 

viewpoint of DPD Senior Corporal Kevin Navarro, one 

of the key individuals involved in its development. It 

also incorporates an opinion regarding the effectiveness 

of A 360-Degree Look at Criminal Interrogation provided 

by DPD Homicide Detective John Palmer, who is 

featured in the training tool.

The mission of the BSD is to provide law enforcement 

professionals with an understanding of human behavior 

that inspires interpersonal communication skills 

necessary to effectively protect and serve the American 

public. The BSD vision is to bring out the best in law 

enforcement through understanding human behavior 

and communication. The division provides training 

to basic and advanced investigative and uniformed 

law enforcement personnel in a vast number of areas 

including interviewing, victim/witness awareness, 

conflict management, and managing abnormal behavior. 

This is accomplished using a variety of instructional 

methodologies ranging from classroom lectures to 

practical scenarios where students interact with role 

players in realistic law enforcement scenarios. 

BSD instructors, providing training in the areas 

of suspect interviewing, frequently receive requests 

from students to see examples of real interrogations. 

Many federal agencies do not have a policy mandating 

recording of interrogations, though a number of 

federal agencies have recently revised their policies 

and now require recording of suspect interviews. This 

ABOVE: Benito Medina was one of the inmates interviewed by FLETC 

Law Enforcement Leadership Institute Division Chief Scott Donovan 

(left) and Dallas Police Department Senior Corporal Kevin Navarro (right) 

during the development of A 360-Degree Look At Criminal Interrogation. 

Medina confessed to acting as the getaway driver during the gang-related 

murder of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement employee.

OPPOSITE LEFT: Dallas Police Department Homicide Detective Kenneth 

Penrod conducted two interrogations featured in the new video-based 

training tool, A 360-Degree Look At Criminal Interrogation. TOP: Edward 

Douglas confessed to murdering his girlfriend when interrogated by Dallas 

Police Department Homicide Detectives Eduardo Ibarra and Maria Varker. 

He provided his perspective on criminal interrogation when interviewed in 

prison. BOTTOM RIGHT: One of the case studies included in A 360-Degree 

Look At Criminal Interrogation focuses on the murder of a convenience 

store owner by two gang members. DaShawn Larkin confessed to his role 

in the murder when interrogated by Dallas Police Department Homicide 

Detectives John Davison and Dwayne Thompson.
28 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

reality makes it difficult to obtain videorecorded interrogations associated with federal 

investigations to present to students. The BSD 

continually works to improve training and 

recognizes the tremendous benefit students in 

basic and advanced training programs could 

reap from watching actual interrogations take 

place and analyzing the multitude of associated 

factors, including the suspect’s behavior 

and decision-making process, the dynamic 

between the interrogator and suspect, and the 

techniques used by the interrogator. The BSD 

is fortunate to have the ability to call upon the 

expertise of a number of leading psychologists 

with whom the division has built relationships 

through its Psychologist Consortium. Those 

experts agree there is always something to be 

gained when a law enforcement investigator 

can gain insight into the mindset of the 

suspect before entering an interrogation room.

A 360-Degree Look at Criminal Interrogation

is a video-based training tool resulting from 

the collaboration between the FLETC BSD 

and the DPD, that began officially in 2009 and 

continues to this day with the development 

and delivery of this product. The training 

tool uses video to present case studies based 

on DPD homicide investigations with the 

objective of providing perspective on all 

aspects of the interrogation process. This 

is accomplished by examination of videorecorded interrogations associated with specific 

homicide cases, interviews of detectives who 

conducted those interrogations, and follow-up interviews 

of the now incarcerated suspects. Those three components 

were gathered by BSD and DPD subject matter experts 

before being compiled by the FLETC Media Support 

Division into an impressive, well-organized, and userfriendly DVD-based instructional tool.

The training tool consists of five DVDs with each DVD 

devoted to a single case study and containing a menu 

allowing the instructor to navigate through a presentation 

that emphasizes a variety of concepts associated with 

criminal interrogation. Two of the case studies highlight 

an investigation in which two suspects are interrogated 

regarding their involvement in the homicide and each 

interrogation is analyzed. An effort was made to select a 

variety of different homicide cases portraying offenders of 

different characteristics. The offenders range from a very 

high-ranking member in the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas 

to a young woman who plans a homicide to obtain bail 

money for her boyfriend. Some offenders were motivated 

by money or status, and others by pure emotion.

Each case study DVD includes a video introduction 

outlining key aspects of the investigation and the 

circumstances under which the interrogation(s) took 

place. Introductions contain information on victims in 

the featured homicide cases, as well as the backgrounds 

of suspects. In addition to the introduction, the menu for 

each case study itemizes five subject areas from which an 

instructor can show video segments; Planning, Rapport, 

Themes, Confession, and Core Principles. The DVD is 

designed to allow an instructor to show a video segment 

related to one of these areas that compliments and/or 

reinforces their instruction and facilitation of classroom 

discussion on the topic.
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 29

OPPOSITE LEFT: The Benito Medina crime 

scene evidence shows an unspent shell 

casing and bullet following the murder. 

RIGHT: A detective looks in behind the 

door at the murder victim on the floor. 

ABOVE: Blood spatter evidence can be 

seen here to the right of the door knob.

The majority of video segments included in the 

training tool are blends of video from the interrogations, 

inmate interviews, and detective interviews associated 

with particular cases which instructors commonly refer 

to as “360s.” These video montages provide multiple 

perspectives on specific topics associated with criminal 

interrogation. Included in the compilation of video are 

some “stand-alone” clips featuring only interrogation 

video, inmate interview footage, or film from the 

interview of a detective, which are used to showcase a 

particular training principle. The video-based training 

tool is accompanied by an instructor guide book which 

provides a synopsis of the investigations, background 

on the investigating detectives, and comprehensive 

descriptions of all video clips included on the DVD. 

25 YEARS IN THE MAKING

A Personal Story Behind the Development of 

A 360-Degree Look at Criminal Interrogation

KEVIN NAVARRO

 SENIOR CORPORAL, DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT

I

N AUGUST 2006, Dallas Police Department Academy 

class number 168 celebrated its 25th anniversary. 

My classmate and friend, Scott Donovan attended the 

reunion. Scott was a Dallas Police Officer for three years 

before leaving the Department 

to pursue a career as a 

Special Agent with the 

United States Secret Service. 

When Scott retired from the 

Secret Service, he joined the 

Behavioral Science Division of 

the Federal Law Enforcement 

Training Centers in Glynco, 

Ga. and eventually became 

a FLETC Division Chief. I had remained with the Dallas 

Police Department where I served as a Homicide Detective 

for many years before transferring to the Department’s 

Academy as an instructor. 

So here we were at that class reunion, both working 

to train new generations of law enforcement officers, 

25 years after the beginning of our own separate law 

enforcement careers. In spite of the divergent paths 

of those careers, we shared a strong interest in the art 

of interrogation. Scott was a polygraph examiner and 

interrogator for the Secret Service while I honed my 

interrogation skills investigating homicides in an era when 

the murder rate was extremely high in Dallas. During the 

reunion, Scott and I discussed how beneficial it would be 

to collaborate on an interrogation training product that 

presented law enforcement trainees with unprecedented 

insight into the interrogation process. 

We thought it would be particularly insightful to gather 

information from suspects who had been interrogated 

regarding their perspective on the interrogation process 

and the individuals who interrogated them. There were 

successful examples of this type of project such as the 

Exceptional Case Study accomplished by the United States 

SEE PERSPECTIVE PAGE 30

SEE FULL CIRCLE PAGE 30

Kevin Navarro
30 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

All “360” and “stand-alone” video segments included in the 

structured DVD training tool are also individually available 

to BSD and DPD instructors in a format that allows them 

to be incorporated into classroom presentations in support of 

interviewing lesson plans.

A 360-Degree Look at Criminal Interrogation has been 

used by the BSD to provide training to FLETC students 

completing both basic and advanced training courses. The 

BSD’s Advanced Interviewing for Law Enforcement 

Investigators Training Program includes a four-hour block 

designated to A 360-Degree Look at Criminal Interrogation

co-presented by BSD and DPD. This training tool is very 

flexible, and instructors can present specific case studies to 

illustrate particular principles based on their training audience. 

They are able to navigate through the DVD menus to select 

video clips that best reinforce their instructional objectives or 

answer questions posed by trainees. The adaptable nature of 

A 360-Degree Look at Criminal Interrogation has allowed for 

tailored instruction to various FLETC partner organizations, 

as well as state and local law enforcement entities by both the 

BSD and DPD. The feedback BSD has received regarding 

this training has been overwhelmingly positive. Students find 

the insight provided by inmates and detectives invaluable and 

consistently emphasize their appreciation for the opportunity 

to view real interrogations and analyze the dynamic that 

influences a suspect’s decision-making process.

The FLETC BSD was fortunate to partner with DPD 

which provided the FLETC the ability to gain access to 

footage from critical homicide interrogations. The DPD videos 

on which A 360-Degree Look at Criminal Interrogation case 

Secret Service and National Institute of Justice as 

well as Project Slammer conducted by the Federal 

Bureau of Investigation and the Department of 

Justice. Both projects provided unique insight into 

offender motivations and behaviors in the areas of 

assassins, near assassins, and espionage in videotaped interviews of those types of offenders. We 

felt the information provided by suspects who were 

interrogated by law enforcement officers in homicide 

investigations could likewise be invaluable and 

incorporated in groundbreaking training material.

As we parted ways after our class reunion, this 

training concept was simply the bright idea of two 

buddies. It took a little time, but this brainstorm 

grew to be much more. In July 2009, Scott 

contacted me and asked if I was still interested 

in pursuing such a project. He asked me to 

crunch numbers and explore the logistics it would 

take to make this idea a reality using homicide 

investigations conducted by the Dallas Police 

Department. 

Soon after, current FLETC Assistant Director for 

the Glynco Training Directorate, Dominick Braccio, 

traveled to Dallas for a meeting to discuss what this 

potential project would entail. The FLETC and DPD 

agreed to partner in the development of a casestudy and video based training tool using videorecorded interrogations, interviews of detectives 

who conducted those interrogations, and follow-up 

interviews of the now incarcerated suspects to 

examine criminal interrogation. Our brainstorm 

now had funding and a title; A 360-Degree Look 

at Criminal Interrogation. There was also a 

tremendous amount of work ahead.

After meeting with Dallas homicide detectives 

to talk about this project and potential cases 

that could be included, Scott and I selected 21 

offenders with whom to speak. The video recorded 

interrogations of those offenders were assimilated, 

and the work began. That work included our 

travel to several Texas prisons to interview these 

offenders. We logged many miles as these 

offenders were housed in seven different Texas 

PERSPECTIVE PAGE 29

FULL CIRCLE PAGE 29

SEE PERSPECTIVE PAGE 31

Callie Marshall, an inmate 

serving time for her role in 

a drug-related homicide, 

was interviewed in prison 

regarding her interrogation 

by Dallas Police Department 

Homicide Detectives Kenneth 

Penrod and Scott Sayers.
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 31

studies are based consist of homicide suspect interrogations, 

however the training principles demonstrated in those 

recorded interrogations and reiterated in the words of 

the inmates and detectives apply universally. Homicide 

investigations were initially chosen to showcase verbal and 

non-verbal cues to deception when dealing with investigations 

in which the stakes are high for the offender. The 

interrogation skills instructed and reinforced via the use of this 

training tool can be applied to any interrogation regardless of 

the underlying crime or investigation being conducted.

The FLETC educates thousands of students each year who 

will go on to conduct federal, state, local, and administrative 

investigations. Whether they are questioning an individual in 

a tax matter or a homicide, when an investigator in any sort 

of case interrogates a suspect they seek to hear the truth from 

someone who must make a decision to speak it. There are a 

multitude of factors and actions on the part of an interrogator 

that can influence whether or not the truth eventually 

becomes known and incorporated in the resolution of an 

investigation. A 360-Degree Look at Criminal Interrogation

provides law enforcement students and practitioners a firsthand look at interrogations taking place, the thoughts of 

detectives listening for the truth, and perception of suspects 

who eventually spoke the truth. Having this comprehensive 

“360” perspective and the ability to analyze the complex 

dynamics and strategy an interrogation entails provides 

investigators a valuable resource they can apply to the 

development of their own skills and utilize in their search for 

the truth.

prisons, and those correctional facilities were spread 

across a 1,500 mile span. We were accompanied 

on this journey by professionals from the FLETC 

Media Support Division who ensured the important 

information the inmates provided was impeccably 

recorded. Wardens at the prisons were extremely 

helpful in accommodating our access to the inmates 

and placement of media equipment.

Five homicide investigations were eventually chosen 

as the focus of the case studies for this project 

with two of those cases including two offenders. 

The next step in development of this training tool 

was the interviews of Dallas Homicide Detectives 

who conducted the interrogations of the suspects 

associated with the case studies. These Detectives 

spent time explaining the particulars of these cases 

and providing their views on the interrogations they 

conducted of suspects in each investigation. They 

also shared their perspective on some key principles 

of interrogation and strategies when interacting with 

suspects. Again, the FLETC MSD was a critical part of 

the process as they recorded these interviews in top 

studio quality.

We now had the three components of our 

360-degree look at interrogation, but the work did not 

stop there. Over the next several months, a number 

of subject matter experts from the FLETC BSD spent 

countless hours reviewing the interrogations, inmate 

interviews, and detective interviews. They identified 

and organized training points in each video that were 

subsequently edited and compiled by the FLETC MSD 

professionals into video segments included in this 

unique training tool. 

Five years after the brainstorming session at our 

class reunion, the idea we two former fellow rookies 

envisioned is now a reality and a training tool I wish I 

had when I began my career as an investigator. I hope 

A 360-Degree Look at Criminal Interrogation enhances 

the interrogation training of criminal investigators 

for years to come. As society and law enforcement 

become increasingly dependent on science and 

technology, it is my strong belief that skillful 

PERSPECTIVE PAGE 30

In August 2011, FLETC Director Connie Patrick presented Dallas Police Chief 

David Brown with the A 360-Degree Look At Criminal Interrogation training tool. 

She also presented plaques expressing appreciation to Detectives highlighted in 

the tool’s five case studies. 

SEE PERSPECTIVE PAGE 32
32 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

interrogation is still one of the greatest resources in investigating 

and prosecuting criminal activity. Every juror wants to hear the 

suspect say they did the crime, and well-prepared interrogators 

make that happen. 

WORDS FROM THE FIELD

A featured detective speaks about the value of A 

360-Degree Look at Criminal Interrogation

JOHN PALMER

DETECTIVE, HOMICIDE UNIT

DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT

Law enforcement continues to change as a career 

choice. Degrees in Criminal Justice are a relatively 

new development in the world of academia. Technology 

has developed at a pace that is difficult to keep up with. Law 

enforcement has made a remarkable migration from what was once 

considered a “blue collar” career path to what is now considered a 

“profession.” All professions have one thing in common: training 

and education is essential for those working within the profession. 

Investigative excellence at the Dallas Police Department can be 

traced back to Captain Will Fritz. He was known for his role in the 

investigation of President Kennedy’s assassination. Captain Fritz 

laid the foundation of investigative excellence at DPD and embraced 

technologies as they became available. However, Captain Fritz 

always placed a high value on interrogation skills. Today, the DPD 

Homicide Unit maintains that high regard for interrogations skills, 

and Detectives are expected to become good interrogators. 

When I transferred into the DPD Homicide Unit, I had the good 

fortune to work with some gifted interrogators. I observed that those 

gifted interrogators shared some common traits (some of those traits 

could also be considered character flaws). During conversations 

they were all quick witted, and bull “manure” seemed to flow freely 

from them like a river. Many of them were hyper-sensitive and picked 

up on the slightest things during conversations. They were all willing 

to talk about ANYTHING with ANYONE. 

My transfer into Homicide came with some formal training, and I 

worked hard to become a good interrogator; however I learned that 

interrogation skills are one of the most difficult skill sets to teach 

during formal training. I also realized that I was not one of those 

gifted interrogators. 

DPD began video taping interviews and interrogations in 2005. 

This opened up opportunities for me to view interrogations in 

progress and later review recorded interrogations of other detectives 

as well as my own. I began to mimic some of the methods and 

techniques of other detectives, and I began to improve as an 

interrogator. As I continued to watch the interrogations I continued 

to improve. Soon, we at DPD all got better at interrogating. 

Kevin Navarro and Scott Donovan are both gifted interrogators 

and veteran investigators. They have been called upon by their 

agencies to fill the growing demand for training. Kevin and Scott 

recognized the potential training value of the DPD interrogation 

videos that had begun to accumulate, and that began the DPD and 

FLETC partnership. 

The DPD and FLETC partnership then asked the question, 

“What was happening during these interviews that resulted in 

confessions?” To answer this question they went to the source. 

They traveled to Texas prisons and asked the convicted inmates why 

they confessed during interrogation. The inmate interviews were 

revealing, and again Kevin and Scott recognized another excellent 

source of training material from those interviews. The FLETC 

assembled a video production team, returned to the Texas prisons, 

and recorded the inmate interviews. 

The partnership now had videos of interrogations, and recorded 

interviews from inmates. The circle was completed by turning the 

tables on the interrogators and videotaping interviews with them. 

The collaboration has been named A 360-Degree Look at Criminal 

Interrogation.

As with all new things within law enforcement, I had some doubts 

about the project. When I saw the inmate interviews though, I 

became curious, especially once I observed the FLETC’s ability 

to organize and present information. I was impressed, and my 

doubts turned into confidence. The FLETC has combined practical 

exercises, classroom instruction, and the video library into a training 

tool that is unique and powerful. 

Interrogation skills will always be a difficult skill set to teach 

and there will always be those individuals that have “the gift.” A 

360-Degree Look at Criminal Interrogation is an excellent tool 

to fill the growing demand for training within our profession for 

investigative interrogators. 

PERSPECTIVE PAGE 31

John Palmer
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 33

FLETC and Fort Stewart 

Partner with Warrior Internship Program

Operation Warfighter

The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers and the U.S. Army 

Fort Stewart hosted a joint luncheon/ceremony to recognize the first 

anniversary of their partnership in the Operation Warfighter Program 

and those individuals who were critical to its success at the FLETC in Glynco, 

Ga. 

During the event, FLETC Director Connie Patrick and Fort Stewart’s 

Warrior Transition Battalion Commander Lt. Col. William Reitemeyer gave 

brief remarks and presented Department of the Army Achievement Medals to 

five civilians and two soldiers. 

These medals were presented in appreciation to those individuals who 

envisioned and implemented the OWF at the FLETC. The awardees are: (from 

the FLETC) Jim Bryant, human resources specialist; Ted Sparks, FLETC 

Cheltenham site director; Glenn Guy, instructor; Kirt Rothe, branch chief; 

and Matthew Joyner, instructor; (from the Fort Stewart Warrior Transition 

Afghan Border Police Sgt. 

Khan Jan and Lance Cpl. 

Michael Medina, a machine 

gunner with the 3rd Marine 

Regiment secure a checkpoint 

in southern Garmish district, 

Afghanistan. Photo Courtesy: 

Cpl. Reese Lodder, U.S. 

Marine Corps.

SEE OWF PAGE 36
34 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

On August 10-12, 2011, the Behavioral 

Science Division hosted a three day 

Psychology Consortium at the Federal 

Law Enforcement Training Centers’ 

Glynco, Ga. site. The Psychology 

Consortium was conceived in 2009 as a vehicle for 

collaboration between the academic community and law 

enforcement practitioners. To foster these relationships, 

members of the BSD attend professional psychology 

and law conferences, read peer-reviewed journals, and 

correspond with experts to learn more about their 

behavioral science research. Once each year, experts are 

invited to present empirical studies relevant to behavioral 

science courses at FLETC such as critical incident stress, 

conflict mediation, and interviewing.

In August 2011, six academic experts in deception 

detection traveled to the FLETC to share their 

research with FLETC staff and Partner Organization 

representatives. The panel featured, among others, Dr. 

Aldert Vrij, a Professor of Applied Psychology at the 

University of Portsmouth, U.K., and a leading expert 

in deception detection studies; Dr. Christian Meissner, 

Program Director of the Law & Social Sciences Program 

at the National Science Foundation and a member of the 

President’s High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group; 

and Dr. Maria Hartwig, a Professor of Psychology at John 

Jay College of Criminal Justice and a widely published 

authority on methods of interrogation and behavioral 

analysis.

During the first day of the Consortium, the experts met 

with the BSD instructional staff to review the training 

curriculum and discuss emerging trends in interviewing 

research. Notably, FLETC’s “factual presentation” 

method of suspect interrogation, which is taught in both 

basic and advanced criminal investigator programs, was 

well supported by results of Dr. Hartwig’s studies of the 

Strategic Use of Evidence (SUE). SUE studies have 

examined whether early, late, or progressive disclosure 

of evidence is most effective in obtaining a confession, 

and reliable results have shown that asking case-related 

questions before disclosing evidence most often leads to 

success. In accordance with SUE research, the factual 

presentation method elicits a suspect’s version of events 

and other relevant information before confronting the 

suspect with any incriminating information. 

Following meetings with the BSD instructors, the 

experts delivered research presentations to an audience of 

FLETC staff and Partner Organization representatives. 

Topics included The Cognition of Lying, Pitfalls and 

Opportunities in Verbal and Nonverbal Lie Detection, 

Suspect Interviewing Strategies, Evidence-Based 

Approaches to Forensic Interviewing and Credibility 

Assessment, and Assessment Criteria Indicative of 

Deception. On the final day of the Consortium, audience 

A Collaborative Effort

The 2011 FLETC Glynco Psychology Consortium was 

a vehicle for collaboration between the academic 

community and law enforcement.

JENNA SOLARI

SENIOR INSTRUCTOR, FLETC
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 35

members had the opportunity for a lunch and learn session 

with the experts to further discuss their research and its 

implications for law enforcement training and practice. 

In addition to examining the current curriculum and 

presenting their research at the FLETC, the experts 

identified areas for future collaboration and development. 

With regard to indicators of deception, Dr. Vrij suggested 

moving away from traditional nonverbal signals like 

grooming gestures, manipulators, and shifts in body 

posture, which are signs of stress and nervousness in 

both guilty and innocent subjects. In place of the older 

methods, Dr. Vrij detailed several proactive techniques 

designed to increase cognitive demand in deceptive 

subjects while serving as memory enhancement tools 

for truth-tellers. Increasing cognitive demand by asking 

subjects to relate a story backwards, draw pictures of an 

event, or argue against an asserted opinion makes it easier 

for interviewers to separate those who are genuinely 

recalling an event from those who are reciting a “lie script.” 

While these methods have proven valid and reliable in a 

laboratory setting, Dr. Vrij is seeking opportunities to test 

his theories in law enforcement practice.

Dr. Meissner and other members of the High-Value 

Detainee Interrogation Group (HIG) proposed a joint 

research project designed to improve interviewing 

techniques to gather more information and better detect 

deception. As part of the project, members of the BSD 

will receive intensive training in cognitive interviewing 

from Dr. Ronald Fisher, Professor of Psychology at Florida 

International University and co-creator of the cognitive 

interview method. Dr. Meissner’s research, which was 

presented at the Consortium, suggests that investigators 

could obtain as much as 100 percent more information 

by conducting cognitive interviews versus asking 

traditional open-ended questions. Upon certification by 

Dr. Fisher and his research team, BSD instructors will 

be able to instruct Cognitive Interviewing to the Partner 

Organizations and state and local entities. 

Members of the HIG will also monitor the Advanced 

Interviewing for Law Enforcement Investigators Training 

Program to learn more about how law enforcement 

officers plan and conduct investigative interviews. Their 

feedback will help BSD create an even stronger program 

by providing up-to-date research from the world’s leading 

academic experts.

Collaborative efforts like the Psychology Consortium 

ensure that FLETC’s law enforcement training 

remains relevant, reliable, and valid. If you have ideas 

for collaborative studies in the areas of interviewing 

and detecting deception, or if you would like to see a 

videotaped reproduction of one or more Consortium 

presentations, please contact the BSD at FLETC.

The author, center, and 

the participants of the 

2011 FLETC Psychology 

Consortium.
36 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

Today there are 29 

Warrior interns at 

the FLETC. In fact, 

veterans make up 

40 percent of the 

permanent FLETC 

workforce. 

Battalion) Debra Dehart, occupational 

therapist; Master Sgt. Aaron Hoelzer and 

Staff Sgt. Tracy Smith. 

According to Lt. Col. Reitemeyer, 

the actions of these awardees provided 

motivational and professional guidance to 

the Fort Stewart Warrior Interns assigned to 

the FLETC to ensure they received the best 

opportunity to learn the FLETC mission 

and prepare themselves for the transition to 

civilian life. 

“The Fort Stewart Warrior Transition 

Battalion is the smallest in the U.S. Army 

and yet we have over 10 percent of the 

participants. This is an amazing testament 

to the commitment of the FLETC and U.S. 

Army to assist our wounded, injured and ill 

soldiers. It is the combination of soldier and 

mentor that creates the learning environment 

and bond that develops, the positive impact 

on mental and physical healing, and just 

overall well-being that can occur when we 

put the two of them together,” said Lt. Col. 

Reitemeyer.

The FLETC/Fort Stewart OWF pilot 

program began in November 2010 with three 

Warrior interns. Today there are 29 Warrior 

interns at the FLETC. In fact, veterans make 

up 40 percent of the permanent FLETC 

workforce. The FLETC’s commitment to 

veterans is also evident through the more 

than $10 million dollars of contracts it has 

with veteran-owned businesses, with more 

than $8 million of that total going to servicedisabled veteran-owned businesses.

“Through the Operation Warfighter 

Program, the FLETC empowers warriors 

with the tools essential to not just survive 

their injuries, but to thrive and achieve 

personal and professional success,” said 

Director Patrick.

The OWF Program, which was established 

in 2008, is a temporary assignment/

internship program, developed by the 

Department of Defense, for service 

members who are convalescing at military 

treatment facilities -- initially in the 

National Capitol Region, but increasingly 

throughout the United States. The program 

provides recuperating service members with 

meaningful activity outside of the hospital 

environment and offers a formal means of 

transition back to the military or civilian 

workforce.

In remembrance of Veterans Day, 

Director Patrick said, “While we gather 

here to extend appreciation for those who 

established our Operation Warfighter 

Program, it is also a time to reflect on those 

who have made and continue to make 

extraordinary sacrifices in defense of our 

Nation.”

FLETC Director Connie 

Patrick with Staff Sgt. Tracy 

Smith and Lt. Col. William 

Reitemeyer during the 

Operation Warfighter award 

ceremony at the FLETC.

OWF PAGE 33
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 37

It can 

happen 

here

How law enforcement can 

prepare for a Mumbai-style 

attack

LEFT: An area map shows where the multiple terrorist attacks 

ocurred. ABOVE: Boarded up windows can be seen where fire 

from the attack gutted the Taj hotel’s Wasabi restaurant.

KYLE BARRINGTON

INSTRUCTOR, FLETC

While we must prepare for attacks that 

employ the most destructive weapons, we 

must also defend against the tactics that 

terrorists employ most frequently. Terrorists, 

both domestic and international, continue 

to use traditional methods of violence and 

destruction to inflict harm and spread fear. 

They have used knives, guns, and bombs to 

kill the innocent. They have taken hostages 

and spread propaganda. Given the low 

expense, ready availability of materials, 

and relatively high chance for successful 

execution, terrorists will continue to make use 

of conventional attacks (The National Strategy 

for Homeland Security, 2002).
38 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

On Nov. 26, 2008, Islamic extremists conducted 

terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. Mumbai 

is the commercial and financial capital city of 

India, with a population of over 14 million. 

Starting on a Wednesday night, 10 moderately 

trained gunmen paralyzed India’s largest city in a matter of 

minutes holding Mumbai in a siege that continued until 

Saturday afternoon. 

The terrorists executed a multipronged attack on the city 

of Mumbai killing more than 170 and wounding in excess 

of 300 people. This event has become a critical turning 

point for American Law Enforcement. Few events and 

even fewer overseas events have caused such a radical shift 

in the thought and training mindset of American law 

enforcement agencies. Following the Mumbai attack, FBI 

Director Muller said that the terrorist attacks “reminds us 

that terrorists with large agendas and little money can use 

rudimentary weapons to maximize their impact” and “the 

simplest of weapons can be deadly when combined with 

capability and intent.”

The main attack focused on less secure, highly-visible 

commercial facilities frequented by western citizens. Targets 

included five-star hotels catering to international businesses 

and tourists, a popular restaurant for backpackers and 

western travelers, a Jewish community center, and crowded 

transportation terminals. Other sites included a movie 

theater, police station, and hospital. Witness reports 

indicated the terrorists appeared to be familiar with layouts 

of the target sites. It is possible that targets were attacked in 

a deliberate sequence in order to draw security forces away 

from the primary targets which the terrorists planned to 

seize and hold. These attacks included a strike on key local 

Indian leaders responsible for orchestrating response to 

the attack, successfully delaying and disrupting Indian law 

enforcement response to the attack. 

The raiders utilized a military-style operational planning 

cycle and followed established terrorist planning cycles. 

The operation was conducted following pre-mission 

planning and target selection, followed by an initial 

surveillance and information collection that identified 

preferred targets and the vulnerabilities associated with 

them. Security was tested while the terrorist organization 

acquired materials and finances to conduct the operation. 

In the final step terrorists put the operational cells in 

place by conducting a clandestine infiltration by sea that 

allowed for the transportation of AK series assault systems, 

explosives, and preconstructed improvised explosive devices 

to be used in diversionary operations along with backpacks 

and large ammunition supplies. The mission accomplished 

a primary goal of media exploitation and only lacked a 

successful withdrawal. 

Is it conceivable that a Mumbai-style attack could 

happen in Dallas, Miami, or a city near you? Yes it is! Are 

American law enforcement agencies and officers preparing 

for the inevitable? Are police departments other than 

New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas prepared for this 

unthinkable event? Are federal agencies prepared and able 

to assist our state and local law enforcement and emergency 

management partners in stopping and responding to a mass 

causality attack when it happens? The answer should be, 

and can be “yes,” if we prepare now.

The uniformed federal officer holds a unique platform 

to gather information on suspicious activities; the act of 

detecting the initial surveillance of any terrorist operation 

will greatly aid in the prevention of an attack. It will put in 

place the measures for continual assessment and readiness 

to reduce the risk of threats and vulnerabilities. This 

action alone can intervene and stop an occurrence, or at a 

minimum mitigate the attack effects. The federal uniformed 

officer’s primary responsibility of safeguarding the nation’s 

critical infrastructure places the surveillance detection 

and information sharing mechanisms in position. Federal 

law enforcement officers should remain alert to potential 

indicators of preoperational surveillance and planning 

activities. In addition, the uniformed federal officer must 

continue to train and understand terrorist methodologies 

and work with state and local law enforcement through 

memorandums of agreement to support whenever possible. 

A Mumbai-style raid in the United States will manifest 

into an event that will fall into the purview of local law 

enforcement with elements from the federal and state 

authorities responding in support.

As a nation, we must ensure that we train our officers to 

respond effectively. To accomplish this we have to create 

an environment in which patrol officer training ensures 

they are prepared to meet the threat. The majority of 

officer training is focused on enabling single officers to do 

the business of street-level criminal interdiction. Current 

police training methodologies are not generally focused on 

putting multiple individual officers into teams and working 

in close tactical coordination. This has been the guarded 

venue of Special Weapons and Tactics, Special Operations 

Teams, Emergency Response Teams, and Hostage 

Rescue Teams. Law enforcement agencies and training 

organizations must ensure that the first responding officers 

are familiar with assault type weapons and basic small unit 

tactics.

Law enforcement officers in the United States are 

better trained and equipped than the Mumbai officers 

who initially dropped their weapons and fled, only to later 

regroup and mount a response. The question that must be 

answered by law enforcement agencies and those that train 

them is: Are our officers trained well enough to respond to 

a potential attack? What can we do to deter or stop it? Is it 
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 39

possible for law enforcement to duplicate the quick reaction 

force concept, cease all non life-threatening operations, and 

converge on and contain this style attack? This is a concept 

that the United States military has very successfully 

implemented in nation building police operations. 

An attack of this magnitude requires us to provide our 

officers with the equipment and training they will need to 

respond effectively. This is a fight that will be fought with 

rifles, so agencies need to address the issue of ensuring 

every patrol officer (or at least every squad car) has access 

to a patrol rifle. These weapons need lights and high-quality 

optics. This will prevent the necessity of searching for rifles 

as was required in the documented massive shootouts in 

Miami in 1986 and again in North Hollywood in 1997. In 

addition to soft body armor that all officers are issued, there 

will be a need to have a plate carrier and level-four ballistic 

plates to provide additional protection against rifle rounds. 

The Mumbai attacks were a surprise. An assault against 

targets on United States soil should not be a surprise. 

It is very important for American law enforcement to 

understand the adversary. The antagonist has published 

his intent; he has published his principles and tactics. 

These are known and should be studied by every officer 

that may in the course of his or her duties engage members 

of a terrorist organization. The Manchester diaries, better 

known as the Al Qaeda handbook, clearly states in Lesson 

One of military operations general introductions that “the 

overthrow of the godless regimes and their replacement” 

should consist of : “gathering information about the enemy, 

the land, the installations, and the neighbors; assassinating 

enemy personnel as well as foreign tourists; blasting and 

destroying the places of amusement, immorality and sin; 

not a vital target; and blasting and destroying the embassies 

and attacking vital economic centers.” 

Al Qaeda planners have studied the manuals, principles, 

tactics, and techniques of their enemy (the United States). 

This is a basic trademark of any successful terrorist 

organization. Student Handout 21-76, of the U.S. Army 

Ranger School and the reference of United States military 

infantry operations states that: “in the performance of 

a raid, the patrol initiates the raid no later than the time 

specified in the order, surprises the enemy, assaults the 

objective, and accomplishes its assigned mission within 

the commander’s intent. The patrol does not become 

decisively engaged. The patrol obtains all available Primary 

Information Requirements (PIR) from the raid objective 

and continues follow-on operations.” Should this look 

familiar? Did the terrorists that conducted the operation in 

Mumbai follow the century’s-old, established principles of 

a classic raid? There are multiple international and domestic 

threats that are capable of conducting this type of raid 

and this will require police agencies to become prepared. 

American extremists have been lying low and allowing 

American law enforcement to concentrate on Al-Qaeda. 

American law enforcement must not ignore the domestic 

terrorist threat; left and right wing extremists still profess 

a suspicion of government and posses the capability and 

intent to carry out similar operations. 

A wild card will be played in this oncoming storm. When 

the raiders launched their assault in Mumbai, British-style 

gun laws governed the citizenry. This incident has changed 

that. The Madras High Court ruled that authorities or 

police officials cannot refuse to issue arms licenses by citing 

the likelihood of a law and order problem as all citizens of 

the country are entitled to possess weapons, under license, 

for self-defense. This wild card in the United States will 

also be the conscientiously-armed citizen. The enemy will 

study the legal concealed carry density areas and this will 

manipulate preoperational planning. The possibility of the 

responsible armed citizen will influence the targets and 

target locations, as well as the freedom of movement that 

was granted to the raiders in Mumbai, will now be limited 

in the United States. Just as the Japanese Naval commander 

in World War II, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, said. “You 

cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be 

a rifle behind every blade of grass.”

Chief Jeff Chudwin of the Olympia Fields, Illinois 

Police Department, who also serves as the President of 

the Illinois Tactical Officers’ Association, a presenter at 

the ILEETA in 2011, has stated and believes that we have 

both the means and the capability to defeat an attack on 

our cities and towns. The only question is; ‘Do we have the 

will?’ American law enforcement must have the mindset to 

respond immediately “Above all,” Chudwin said, “this will 

be a fight of the patrol officer in the first minutes of the 

attack. This type of matter is going to be settled in the first 

20 minutes and it’s going to be affected by patrol. The event 

may still be ongoing, but by responding well and quickly, 

the severity of the attack can be seriously mitigated.” There 

are four essential thoughts to remember about a potential 

attack: (1) there is likely to be no specific warning in 

advance; (2) failure to immediately and effectively fight will 

result in the slaughter of innocents; (3) lack of preparation 

and training ensures failure; and (4) lack of command and 

leadership inspires failure. (PoliceOne.com 2011)

We must remember that the threat of a terrorist attack 

against our country should not be taken lightly by law 

enforcement. The immediate deployment of police officers 

to a terrorist attack as first responders is inevitable, 

therefore, we should ensure they have the training and 

equipment to accomplish this mission. The training and 

tactics that they receive will dictate their ability to resolve, 

contain or mitigate the attack. History has demonstrated 

SEE MUMBAI PAGE 41
40 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

of reasonable efforts (demonstrating proof that a family 

is non-cooperative) is filed.11 Exceptions to this include 

incarceration of greater than one year or evidence that 

parents are not making sufficient progress on the case plan 

to satisfy the court that a child will be safe. 

The tools needed to rescue a child are unique and require 

a top down, bottom up organizational approach. The time 

spent completing paperwork will be saved by the guilty 

pleas experienced when properly investigated, thoroughly 

documented cases are presented to the District Attorney. 

Recognize the need to update procedures and practices as 

they relate to child safety. Change lives and reduce repeat 

offenses by getting stronger consequences of intensive 

supervision or lengthier prison sentences with strict 

standards for parolees. 

A proper DEC investigation identifies each of the 

environmental, physical, emotional and sexual ways in 

which a child may have been harmed. Each of these should 

be ruled out before placement with any relative or family 

friend is authorized.

In reference to the scenario at the beginning of 

the article, what could have been different if DEC 

investigation techniques had been employed? All the 

professional groups would have received training in DEC 

techniques and been able to ensure the protection and 

safety of the children, and can prevent further abuse of 

children. 

FLETC offers a DEC training course for law 

enforcement that gives investigators the tools necessary 

to collect, preserve and present evidence to the prosecutor 

to prove the crime of felony child abuse and neglect. 

Further information on this course can be found at http://

www.fletc.gov/rpi/export/drug-endangered-childreninvestigation/ In addition, the Federal DEC Task Force 

has created a website (http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/

dec-info) that provides additional DEC resources and 

information.

1. Walsh, C., MacMillan, H.L. Jamieson E., (2003) The relationship 

between parental substance abuse and child maltreatment: findings 

from the Ontario Health Supplement Child Abuse & Neglect, 27 

(1409-1425). 

2. Ibid

3.DePanfilis, D, Zuravin, S.J. (2002) The effect of services on the 

recurrence of child maltreatment Child Abuse & Neglect 26 (187-

205). 

4. Program data, Drug Endangered Child Training Network, 2005, 

University of Kentucky. 

5. Wilke, D.J., Kamata, A., Cash, S. J. (2005) Modeling treatment 

motivation in substance-using women with children Child Abuse & 

Neglect, 29 (1313-1323). 

6. Schultz D., Tharp-Taylor S., Haviland A, Jaycox L, (2009) The 

relationship between protective factors and outcomes for children 

investigated for maltreatment Child Abuse & Neglect 33 (684-698).

7.Ibid

8. DePanfilis, D, Zuravin, S.J. (2002) The effect of services on the 

recurrence of child maltreatment Child Abuse & Neglect 26 (187-

205). 

9. Kendall-Tackett, K (2002) The health effects of childhood ause: 

four pathways by which abuse can influence health Child Abuse & 

Neglect 26, (715-7290. 

10. DePanfilis, D, Zuravin, S.J. (2002) The effect of services on the 

recurrence of child maltreatment Child Abuse & Neglect 26 (187-

205). 

11.http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/laws_policies/cblaws/

public_law/pl105_89/pl105_89.htm 

NOTE: The National Drug Endangered Children Training and 

Advocacy Center, Inc., (NDEC-TAC) is a nationally recognized 501c3 

(non-profit) organization that is committed to ensuring the safety 

of children through teaching proper investigative techniques. The 

proper execution of these skills requires appropriate knowledge of 

age appropriate risks, characteristics of addiction, and identifying at 

various levels the specific harm to children. NDEC-TAC offers training 

courses and technical assistance to law enforcement agencies, 

social services agencies, probation and parole, schools, mental 

health facilities, and hospital staff. 

The National Drug Endangered Children Training and Advocacy 

Center, Inc., has participated as a guest lecturer for the FLETC 

DEC Trainings. NDEC-TAC only offers information that is field tested 

through trainers with no fewer than five-years of field experience 

working DEC cases. 

Holly Dye (holly@ndec-tac.org), Sue Webber-Brown (sue@ndec-tac.

org) and Vanessa Price (vanessa@ndec-tac.org) serve as founders 

and partners at NDEC-TAC. More information may be found at: www.

ndec-tac.org. 

CHILDREN PAGE 9
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 41

would safely be going home later that evening.

For her actions that night, Ranger Alexandra Burke 

was awarded the prestigious “Top Cop” award from the 

National Association of Police Organizations. She was 

also honored as a recipient of the Bravery Award given 

by the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association. 

In May 2011, Burke was greeted by President Obama in 

a Rose Garden ceremony which recognized the annual 

Top Cop recipients. In May 2012, Ranger Burke will 

return to Washington D.C. during Police Week and be 

honored once again. This time she will be recognized as 

the April 2012 officer of the month by the National Law 

Enforcement Officer’s Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) and 

be featured in their annual fundraising calendar. 

Ranger Burke graduated from FLETC in February 

2005. She was a member of the Natural Resources Police 

Training program class 501. The U.S. Bureau of Land 

Management Ranger credited much of her FLETC 

training for surviving the events of that fateful January 

night. She was quick to give credit to the other officers 

who were involved in the hunt for the fugitive, especially 

Border Patrol agent Phillip Wright, whose abilities and 

skill in backcountry tracking was described by Burke as 

“amazing.” Ranger Burke also gave praise to the FLETC 

staff that was instrumental in her training, especially those 

who instilled in her the “winning mindset” and a gave 

her the tools to survive such a perilous situation. Ranger 

Burke extended her gratitude to the FLETC staff and 

said “Thanks guys, for all of the training. If duty ever calls 

for me to do the same thing, I would do it all over again, 

knowing I’ve been trained by the best!”

TRACK DOWN PAGE 12

engagement in an active-shooter incident requires 

resources and an immediate response by all available law 

enforcement. Special Operations Teams are limited in size 

and speed with which they will respond to an incident in 

progress. The first responders must be able to contain the 

attack. Sharing resources and training with neighboring 

jurisdictions is a necessity. The federal officer in the role 

of Critical Infrastructure protection is in the best place to 

interrupt the terrorist attack cycle. Of the phases of the 

“Terrorist Attack Cycle,” the surveillance phases allow the 

officer the best opportunity to detect or prevent an attack. 

Attacks by terrorist elements will be preceded by a period 

of surveillance. This period could last weeks, months, or 

years. Through the use of surveillance detection, the site 

of a possible terrorist attack can be predicted with a fair 

degree of accuracy. Vigilant officers detecting and reporting 

surveillance or suspicious activity, therefore allowing the 

intended victim the opportunity to interrupt the attack 

cycle, makes avoiding such incidents possible.

We as a nation have the procedures in place to allow 

for interoperability of agencies. The National Response 

Framework and the National Incident Management 

System provides us with a unified command system to 

respond to such attacks as well as natural disasters. The 

NRF and NIMS also provides mechanisms to convey to 

the public critical information, such as areas to avoid during 

an incident or the potential for additional attacks in other 

areas or regions. We as professionals in the field must know 

our own doctrine, understand our principles, tactics and 

techniques, and study our enemy. This will allow the United 

States to augment planning, exercises, and coordination 

between the private sector and federal, state, and local law 

enforcement agencies. Only by doing this can we truly 

consider ourselves prepared.

MUMBAI PAGE 39

Bureau of Land Management Ranger Alex Burke is greeted by President 

Barack Obama.
42 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012

I

n April of 2010, the Federal Law Enforcement 

Training Centers launched the FLETC Electronic 

Learning Portal. The FLETC ELP is the first 

component of the FLETC Online Campus; an 

effort to “enhance and expand enterprise-wide training” 

as described in the FLETC Master Plan. The mission of 

the FLETC ELP is to support this goal through the use 

of a secure online training delivery point that is accessible 

by all properly vetted and authenticated law enforcement 

officers. The ELP is separate from, but seamlessly 

compliments and extends, FLETC’s residential instructorled training. The ELP focuses on providing learning that 

is: career long, just-in-time, blended, and an asset for the 

professional development of law enforcement officers 

nationwide.

Initially, the ELP had only modest offerings; a few 

videos and some lessons developed with the expert 

assistance of instructors from the FLETC’s Legal 

Division. Since then the Training Innovation Division 

has continued working with subject matter experts from 

multiple training divisions across the FLETC enterprisewide. As a result, the system has experienced some 

significant growth and is ready to stand as the premier 

source of law enforcement online training. Currently, 

the ELP has grown to include 20 videos and 79 courses 

in its catalog. Another 57 lessons are in various stages of 

development and will be added to the course catalog by 

the end of FY12, bringing the total content to 20 videos 

and 136 courses.

The ELP is available for all law enforcement officers 

across the country. Additionally, all FLETC employees 

with access to the FLETC Employee Development 

System-Learning Management System have access to 

the entire ELP course catalog. The learning management 

system automatically populates all of the available courses 

to each individual’s to-do list, with new courses being 

added regularly. Individuals that don’t have a FEDS 

LMS account must be vetted as law enforcement officers 

through the Regional Information Sharing System 

that serves their region of the country. Instructions for 

obtaining a RISS account can be found at http://www.

fletc.gov/elp-splash/.

Look over the offerings in the FLETC ELP. The 

courses are designed to meet the needs of law enforcement 

officers across the nation. Maybe a lesson on the Financial 

Aspects of a Criminal Investigation will help to hone 

your investigative skills. Perhaps the various lessons 

covering forensics topics will enhance your professional 

development. The FLETC ELP also contains several 

lessons dealing with Intelligence-Led Policing and 

Maritime Law Enforcement topics. There are numerous 

lessons dealing with Constitutional Law and interviewing 

techniques as well. Future offerings will include lessons 

dealing with communication skills and physical security. 

The FLETC ELP exists to provide the law enforcement 

community with the training they need, when they need it. 

Courses continue to be added to the catalog on a regular 

basis. The law enforcement community has constantly 

changing training needs and the FLETC ELP aims to 

help you meet your needs by providing training that is 

accurate, current, and relevant. As the FLETC Online 

Campus matures, the ELP will continue to live up to the 

FLETC’s standard of providing fast, flexible, and focused 

training, when and where it is needed.

Now FLETC’s Online Training 

Available Countrywide to LEOs

NICK KOPCHO

INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEMS SPECIALIST, FLETC
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Spring 2012 43

The FLETC played an exciting role in serving 

as the host of the DHS Office of General 

Counsel’s inaugural Homeland Security Law 

Conference. The conference, held in early 

August, 2011 at the Glynco site, was the culmination 

of DHS General Counsel Ivan Fong, Deputy General 

Counsel Joe Maher, and FLETC Chief Counsel Dave 

Brunjes’ efforts to create a forum for the department’s 

attorneys to consider the emerging field of homeland 

security law.

Every component of DHS, as well as several offices 

of the Office of General Counsel, was represented 

at the conference. Each presenter examined what 

homeland security law means to their agency or 

office. The attendees, numbering 24 for this initial 

conference, explored areas of mutual collaboration 

and understanding on security legal issues. They left 

the FLETC with a greater appreciation for the legal 

capabilities of their companion agencies and knowledge 

of the resources available to them through the Office of 

General Counsel.

The attendees also left the conference with a much 

better comprehension of how well their clients are 

trained by the FLETC. The conference schedule 

provided several opportunities to explore the FLETC 

and directly observe law enforcement training. 

Breaking into small groups, the attendees surveyed the 

Enforcement Operations Division and the Driver and 

Marine Division as they provided real-time training. 

A traditional tour of the facility provided a view of the 

physical structure of the FLETC. Director Patrick 

and several senior members of the FLETC hosted the 

conference attendees at an informal luncheon. An 

event that many noted as a highlight of the conference 

included a Use of Force presentation by the Legal 

Division’s Tim Miller, Physical Techniques Division’s 

Kristen A. Yukness, and Enforcement Operations 

Division’s Rick Edwards. The trio’s presentation 

demonstrated the depth of tactical and legal 

knowledge of the instructional staff, the professional 

methodologies employed to train the students, and the 

devotion of our organization to the principles of our 

democracy.

As FLETC moves forward in providing platforms 

for government conferences, events such as the 

Homeland Security Law Conference allow staff to 

demonstrate the diverse value they add to our various 

missions. Most of the presenters and attendees at this 

conference had not experienced the occasion of visiting 

a FLETC site or observing the exhilaration of a 

FLETC training session. The flattering impression left 

on these DHS attorneys from across the spectrum can 

result in many dividends as FLETC continues to build 

its brand and burnish its image as a training destination 

for the federal government. Happily, General 

Counsel Fong has asked the FLETC to host the next 

Homeland Security Law Conference, scheduled for the 

Spring of 2012 in Charleston, S.C.

DHS General Counsel 

Discovers the FLETC

First Homeland 

Security Law Conference

JOHN BESSELMAN

DIVISION CHIEF, LEGAL DIVISION, FLETC
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers

U. S. Department of Homeland Security

1131 Chapel Crossing Road

Glynco, Georgia 31524

www.fletc.gov

We train those who protect our homeland

AN AIRPORT TO NOWHERE. The lines are real here too. That’s the intent of the FLETC’s 

innovative International Transportation Training Complex. The complex features 

scenario based training using real modes of transportation including planes, trains 

and buses. And, yes, there is a TSA checkpoint complete with scanners and detectors.