Debbie Garner, retired Special Agent in Charge at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, joins the Forensic Focus Podcast to share insights from her 30-year career. From undercover narcotics work in her early 20s to leading Georgia’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, Debbie brings a unique perspective on collaboration, child protection, and investigator wellness.
She discusses the challenges of cyber tips backlogs, the importance of cross-border cooperation, and why well-being must be built into the culture of child exploitation investigations. Debbie explains how she introduced practical, budget-conscious wellness initiatives — from group discussions to peer support and mental health check-ins — and how these efforts helped transform trust, retention, and resilience within her unit.
Debbie and Paul also explore the stigma investigators often face, how leadership decisions can make or break support for officers, and what agencies can do to better safeguard the people safeguarding children.
#DigitalForensics #DFIR #WellBeing #LawEnforcement #childprotection
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00:00 Introduction and Guest Background
00:49 Early Career in Law Enforcement
02:11 Specialization in Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes
03:27 Challenges and Changes in Law Enforcement
06:03 The ICAC Task Force Program
09:34 Cross-Border Investigations and Cooperation
14:46 Wellness and Resiliency in Law Enforcement
18:01 Building a Culture of Wellness
28:16 Personal Stories and Agency Support
39:57 Final Thoughts and Advice
🎥 Video/Transcript - https://www.forensicfocus.com/podcast/inside-the-fight-against-child-exploitation-leadership-and-wellness-lessons-from-debbie-garner/
📝 Show Notes
Innocent Justice Foundation - https://innocentjustice.org
Raven (ICAC Task Force Funding Advocacy) - https://raven.us
Hexordia - https://www.hexordia.com
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