Course Overview

The online world is ever present in the lives of adults and children worldwide. And just as IRL (“in real life” for the non-chatters), there are dangers lurking in every corner of that online world. Additionally, bad actors will often plan, execute and even memorialize their real-world crimes in an online setting.

In order to build well documented and legally sound cases, the undercover officer must know where the criminals are, the “language” they speak and the methods they use to identify and/or conceal themselves. These cases may involve a variety of social media platforms, online forums and message boards as well as classified advertisement websites. Building a consistent and effective undercover persona cannot be overstated as criminals get more and more tech savvy themselves.

While a large portion of undercover chatting by law enforcement is for investigations related to child sexual exploitation, these techniques can also be applied to a variety of other investigations.
This class is designed to teach law enforcement officers how to build an effective online persona and safely operate in an undercover capacity while adhering to legal and ethical duties as well as address potential defenses and challenges.

Who Should Attend
This class is designed for any investigator, detective, or supervisor; authorized support staff will be admitted with prior agency documentation. Prior experience is not required. 

Material Requirements
Portions of this course are hands-on and will require personnel to have a laptop with unfettered access to the internet (no site blocking software).

April Lucia

Since 2016, April Lucia has worked as a Special Agent (SA) for the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation Cyber Crime Unit assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Prior to her current
position, SA Lucia worked as a Probation/Parole Specialist for the State of Louisiana assigned to the Covington District Office and working specifically with sex/violent offenders. SA Lucia also teaches ICAC related topics including computer/cell phone forensics, general investigations and undercover chat operations to task force officers, juvenile detectives and prosecutors across Louisiana. She also enjoys teaching Criminal Justice/Sociology classes as adjunct faculty for a small college in New Orleans.

April has made her home in St. Tammany Parish near the bayous where she grew up. When not working and teaching, she enjoys gardening and travel.

Host: POLICE TECHNICAL

Location: Online Seminar 647 Ohio Street Online Seminar, 47807 Get Directions

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