The United States Secret Service: Protecting Presidents…and your kids.
By The Safe Kids Security Council
Last March, 28-year-old Alyssa Kenney and her 21-month-old daughter were found dead in their home in the small town of Galax, Virginia. There was evidence of a violent attack and their deaths were ruled homicides. Two months later, Galax Police arrested and charged Richard Nofsinger, Alyssa’s boyfriend, in the crime. In the course of the preliminary investigation, the Galax Police Department requested forensic assistance from an agency best known for its presidential protective mission — the Secret Service. While the agency is also a leader in criminal investigations focusing on the protection of the financial infrastructure of this country in cases involving cyber, banking and finance, few know about their partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the forensic assistance they provide to state and local police departments on cases involving missing and exploited children.
The work of the agency in this area is significant and robust.
And it is what ultimately put Richard Nosfinger in federal prison.
After the call from Galax Police Department, the Secret Service tasked a local police officer trained at the Secret Service’s National Computer Forensic Institute in Hoover, Alabama to conduct an initial forensic examination on Nosfinger’s cellular telephone for evidence in his role with the murders. The examination immediately revealed evidence of child pornography and the case was broadened beyond the Galax homicide charges. A Secret Service forensic examiner conducted a more comprehensive examination focused on child pornography and found evidence of child sexual abuse on multiple victims. Secret Service agents in Virginia and North Carolina conducted additional investigative work to identify the victims and obtain their testimony. Their combined efforts uncovered Nofsinger’s lengthy history and pattern of preying on vulnerable mothers in order to abuse their children. The forensic evidence and testimony was presented in a federal trial and thanks to their work, Nofsinger was sentenced to 60 years in prison.
Secret Service Partnership with NCMEC
In 1994, Congress mandated the Secret Service provide forensic and technical assistance in matters involving missing and exploited children. The Secret Service offers this assistance to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and the NCMEC. The forensic capabilities of the Secret Service are vast and include an advanced forensics laboratory, which includes the world’s largest ink library and the Forensic Information System for Handwriting (FISH).
The Secret Service deploys a unique blend of technologies and expertise in forensic and documentary photography, graphic and web design, geospatial imaging, video/multimedia production, forensic audio/image enhancement, forensic speaker recognition, as well as three-dimensional (3D) LiDAR data collection, modeling, animation and simulation. The Secret Service also provides expert analysis related to polygraph examinations, fingerprints, false identification documents, credit cards and other related forensic science areas.
All of these resources are at the disposal of state and local law enforcement agencies across the country.
Many police departments choose to request them in missing and exploited children cases. In an earlier post of ours regarding daycare, we mentioned the use of polygraph, which was used by the Secret Service in over 150 child related cases last year. Ultimately, the Secret Service’s forensic work in missing and exploited children cases led to almost 1600 arrests since 2002.
As is the case with most things Secret Service, they have enhanced this relationship beyond investigations to proactive work with children, their parents, and schools.
Operation Safe Kids
Operation Safe Kids was established by the Secret Service in its Forensic Services Division as a means to bring safety awareness to the public. The program provides parents with a document containing the biographical data, a current photograph, and digitized inkless fingerprints. The Secret Service does not keep the record of the child but, instead, left with parents for safeguarding. In the event a child who participates in this initiative is reported missing, lost or abducted, their fingerprints and photograph can be retrieved from the parents. Given that the FBI recorded over 460,000 missing children in 2016, this program could prove to be extremely valuable for a family.
Operation Safe Kids can be requested by any of the Secret Service field offices, law enforcement, and private organizations. If your organization or department is interested, contact information for your local field office can be found here.
Childhood Smart Program
The Childhood Smart Program is an initiative intended to educate parents and children regarding Internet safety and abduction prevention. It is a joint partnership with the NCMEC, in which the Secret Service assists with “Kidsmartz” and “Netsmartz”, programs designed to heighten awareness regarding child safety issues. These educational resources include topics such as child pornography, online enticement, child sex tourism, commerical sexual exploitation, and child abduction. The initiative focuses on delivering age appropriate, real world and Internet safety presentations to children in various settings, which include classrooms, recreational camps, and community events.
The Childhood Smart Program is implemented in conjunction with Operation Safe Kids or independently as a separate educational resource. Much like Operation Safe Kids, it can be requested by any of the Secret Service field offices, law enforcement, and private organizations. If your organization or department is interested, contact information for your local field office can be found here.
So, next time you see the men and women of the Secret Service protecting President Trump or former President Obama, remember, that is only a sliver of the impact the organization has in law enforcement. Parents may even view this other responsibility of protecting our children as more important.
What about you?
The Safe Kids Security Council (“SKSC”) blog exists to share personal experiences and information related to the dangers that impact children. The views, opinions, experiences, and advice provided within this blog belong solely to the individual contributors and should not be interpreted as legal or medical advice. This blog is provided for informational purposes only. The SKSC makes no representations as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the information provided herein. The SKSC will not be liable for any errors or omission in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.
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