SAAFE
Sexual Assaults, Abuse, and Forensic Exams — coordinated, victim-centered, trauma-informed.
Our Mission
SAAFE focuses on sexually motivated crime, all crimes against children, and digital forensic examinations. The unit includes investigators working ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children), CAC (Child Advocacy Center) cases, and DFU (Digital Forensics Unit) examinations. The work demands a different caliber of response — coordinated, victim-centered, and trauma-informed.
Key Responsibilities
- Communicate within the Multi-disciplinary Team (Child Advocacy, CPS, and Medical)
- Investigate Internet Crimes Against Children (CyberTips, online chats, sextortion)
- Investigate all allegations of abuse, both physical and sexual
- Process and extract digital evidence from phones, computers, cameras, DVRs, flash drives, and other storage devices, and prepare reports documenting the digital information extracted
- DFU provides digital examination services as a resource for all law enforcement entities that request assistance
- DFU collaborates with the U.S. Secret Service on processing digital evidence
- Investigate cases and manage assigned caseloads from initial assignment through prosecution
Day in the Life
A typical day moves between coordinated interviews at the Child Advocacy Center, follow-up at scenes, and long stretches at the digital forensics bench extracting and reviewing evidence from phones, computers, and storage devices. ICAC investigators conduct online operations and follow up on CyberTips arriving from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
The pace shifts between deliberate, evidence-focused work and rapid response when a child is in immediate danger. Clear communication, interagency collaboration, and careful investigative work ensure efficiency and as much dignity as possible for the affected party.
Training Opportunities
- ICAC — specialized training on investigating Internet Crimes Against Children and online chat investigations
- CAC — ChildFirst and other MDT-related training, online chat investigations, and related specialized training
- DFU — specialized training through the National Computer Forensic Institute (NCFI) on all digital examination topics
- Human trafficking investigations
- Trauma-informed interview techniques
- Courtroom testimony refreshers and expert-witness preparation
Why SAAFE?
Investigating these crimes demands a different caliber of response — coordinated, victim-centered, and trauma-informed. Clear communication, interagency collaboration, and careful investigative work ensure efficiency and as much dignity as possible for the affected party. SAAFE investigators see the impact of their work directly — on children, on families, and on the broader safety of the county.
Interested in SAAFE?
SAAFE assignments are filled from within the Sheriff's Office. Apply as a Deputy Sheriff and build your career toward this specialty.
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