Full Access to Special Agent Alan Davis

Episode 11

Full Access to Special Agent Alan Davis
Episode Summary

On this episode of Full Access meet current Special Agent in Charge over course curriculum at The National Computer Forensics Institute (NCFI) in Hoover, Alabama, Alan Davis. This is your chance to hear about all the amazing training opportunities for state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement via the NCFI and how you can apply. 

Listen Now

Listen to Full Access Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen to Full Access Podcast on Podbean
Listen to Full Access Podcast on iHeart RadioListen to Full Access Podcast on Spotify
Listen to Full Access Podcast on Amazon MusicListen to Full Access Podcast on Google Podcasts

Show Notes

[3:21] Meet Alan Davis, Special Agent in Charge over course curriculum at NCFI 

  • Davis describes his education path and early career as a Cobb County police officer and applying to join the Secret Service 
  • Davis talks about his 23+ years’ experience with the Secret Service 
  • Davis backtracks to what influenced him to join law enforcement in the first place 

[5:30] Full Access Host Debbie Garner asks Davis to discuss what lead him to attend basic computer evidence recovery training in 2013 as it ultimately led to the position he holds today  

  • Davis tells listeners after the 2012 presidential election he wanted a change and was intrigued by digital forensics  
  • After training in 2013, Davis started working on cases and was promoted to Technical Staff Assistant in 2017, and began managing the lab where he worked 
  • Following a few years managing the lab, Davis wanted another new challenge and applied to become the Special Agent in Charge over course curriculum at The National Computer Forensics Institute (NCFI) in Hoover, Alabama 

[8:37] Davis goes into detail about his current position at NCFI 

  • Davis provides a brief overview of the 29 classes he helps manage the curriculum for at NCFI from basics to advanced materials (he also teaches) 
  • Davis talks about how important it is to him to get feedback from the field and keep his finger on the pulse of what challenges law enforcement is facing as that helps him shape the material used in courses taught at NCFI 

[10:06] Garner asks Davis to explain to listeners what NCFI does and what their mission is 

  • NCFI was started in 2008 as a partnership between the Alabama District Attorney’s Association and the Secret Service 
  • Davis explains that the NCFI is mandated by Congress to train and equip state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement 
  • Davis states that NCFI has trained over 18,000 law enforcement members since 2008 in both cyber investigations and digital forensics 

[12:28] Cleveland and Davis start a discussion on first responder training and other courses available at the NCFI 

  • Cleveland notes that a lot of evidence mistakes happen before evidence gets to the examiner because nobody knows how to handle it from the start properly 
  • Davis echoes Cleveland that it’s a common challenge and how important the preservation of data is in digital forensics investigations 
  • In addition to first responder training, NCFI also offers a Digital Evidence Investigators class that teaches students how to perform an advanced extraction on a mobile device with the proper tool(s) 

[17:10] Garner shifts the discussion to mobile device forensics and how important it is for small and medium sized agencies to develop the ability to process mobile devices on their own 

  • Garner says taking advantage of training courses available like NCFI offers is a phenomenal way for smaller agencies to become more capable in the area of data extraction and analysis 
  • Davis excitedly shares some examples of how NCFI graduates are putting their tools and training to use in the field 
  • Cleveland jumps in to ask and have Davis explain who the instructors are at NCFI who provide the training that prepares students for digital and mobile device forensic investigations of all sizes

 

[23:00] Training is free to law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges at NCFI 

  • Davis explains the process for getting into NCFI training and how it works 
  • Davis informs listeners that getting in is competitive and covers the reasons why 
  • Davis discusses what all is included/paid for when a student is accepted 
  • Davis also covers the importance of NCFI training for prosecutors and judges 

[33:18] Garner asks Davis to explain how he decides what is included in the curriculum at NCFI 

  • Davis says it’s a team effort and he spends a lot of his time listening to his teammates and staff when it comes to developing the curriculum 
  • Forensic Partner Reports have a big influence in curriculum development too 
  • Davis says needs vary by geography so it’s important to talk to personnel in the field across the United States 

[37:16] Garner wants to know how Davis and his team stay knowledgeable and keep up with technology, legal, and investigative trends 

  • Davis talks about the importance of NCFI’s technical advisory committee 
  • Davis mentions the NCFI Lab at Tulsa University that’s aligned with several PhD programs that work on benchmark testing that influence the NCFI curriculum 
  • Davis says the most important thing you can do is listen to the field 

[42:20] Wilton brings up NCFI’s first Cyber Games Competition in October 2021 

  • The Cyber Games Competition will be back October 2022 
  • Davis describes what the first Cyber Games Competition was like for participants and what interested “players” can look forward to in future competitions 
  • Davis covers who can participate and why they run the competition in integrated teams (State and local law enforcement, government agencies, National Guard, etc.) 

[48:48] Davis closes out the episode with his advice for anyone just starting out in digital forensics 

  • Davis reminds listeners there is no “right path” into digital forensics 
  • Don’t let anyone tell you what you’re capable of doing or not doing 
  • Knowledge is power; you’re never done learning 

Subscribe to Full Access

Listen to Full Access Podcast on Apple Podcasts Listen to Full Access Podcast on PodbeanListen to Full Access Podcast on iHeart Radio
Listen to Full Access Podcast on SpotifyListen to Full Access Podcast on Amazon MusicListen to Full Access Podcast on Google Podcasts