SPECIALIZED
UNITS
The
GBI specialized work units play vital roles in the daily operations
of the Investigative Division. The units support other GBI offices
and local criminal justice agencies in specialized areas of expertise.
Polygraph Unit
The
GBI Polygraph Unit provides criminal justice preemployment polygraph
examinations and criminal examinations for GBI work units and other
state and local agencies. The Polygraph Unit conducted 4,125 polygraph
examinations during the fiscal year. Fifty-one percent of those
were preemployment exams, with 49 percent specific exams for criminal
investigations. The agents obtained confessions in 67 percent of
criminal investigation examinations.
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FY'00:
Breakdown
of Polygraph Activity
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Polygraph
examinations often result in confessions by suspects who are
being tested for their participation in commissions of specific
crimes. In FY'00, GBI polygraphers received confessions in
67 percent of the criminal investigation exams they administered.
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State
Health Care Fraud Control Unit
The
State Health Care Fraud Control Unit (SHCFCU) is staffed with
prosecutors from the Department of Law, auditors from the Department
of Audits and GBI agents. The unit’s function is to identify
and arrest individuals who defraud the Medicaid and Medicare programs.
This
unit has recovered federal government funds of $15 million and
$5.4 million of Georgia funds. Restitution totaling $710,000 for
the federal government and $3.5 million for Georgia has been ordered
in SHCFCU investigations.
In
addition, fines totaling $3.9 million for the federal government
and $118,900 for Georgia counties have been ordered as a result
of the work of the unit. The total of restitution and fines ordered
in FY'00 equals $28.2 million.
Intelligence
Unit
The
Intelligence Unit acts as a repository for criminal intelligence
information:
During FY'00, the unit:
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Processed
14,699 requests for intelligence information, including 947
background checks at the request of the Governor's Office and
636 other types of background checks.
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The
forensic artist worked with victims and investigators in gathering
information to depict 185 composite drawings of suspects in
criminal investigations.
Forensic
Art
Forensic
Artist Adds Skull Reconstructions to Talents
Like
most artists, Marla Lawson surrounds herself with the tools of the
trade – clays, paints and brushes. But Marla is not your typical
artist, and her works can't be found in any art gallery. She is
a forensic artist with the GBI, and her sketches and reconstructions
are used to nab suspects and identify unknown remains.
The
GBI enlisted Lawson's talents in 1997, but the self-taught artist's
career began decades before. For 15 years, she rendered composite
drawings of suspects based on descriptions by their victims for
the Atlanta Police Department. In 1991 she decided to call it quits.
That
hiatus was brief. A robbery at a sandwich shop where she worked
forced her to break out the pad and pencil once again.
"I
went home that night, and sketched the robbery suspect and turned
it over to the local authorities," said Lawson. "I realized
that the private sector was no place for me. I needed to be doing
something to help others."
And
help is what Lawson did. The suspect who robbed the eatery also
hit a gift shop down the road. Based on her drawing, the robber
was apprehended.
Since
then, Lawson has rendered hundreds of composite drawings for the
GBI and local agencies across the state. Many of those sketches
have been instrumental in identifying perpetrators of crime or finding
missing persons. One of her most famous pencilings is of suspected
bomber Eric Robert Rudolph. The composite was done shortly after
the 1997 bombing of an Alabama abortion clinic and publicized by
media worldwide.
In
the last year, Lawson has developed a new art. With the use of clay,
she sculpts busts from skulls provided by law enforcement agencies
and medical examiners’ offices. During FY'00, she performed
about 45 reconstructions, giving unknown remains faces and a chance
at being identified.
The
process begins with a review of case information supplied by the
requesting agency and the dimensions of the skull also are telling.
However, much of the reconstruction comes from Lawson's skill and
imagination.
"It
is not an exact science. A lot of what I do is guesswork,"
she said. "There is no real way of knowing, but I try to follow
my instincts and give each reconstruction its own individual look."
Several identifications have been made based on Lawson’s work.
"This
is someone's child, grandchild, brother or sister,” she said.
"If this was my child. I would want to have some closure."
Bomb Disposal Team
The
Bomb Disposal Team (BDT) provides statewide assistance in performing
render-safe procedures on explosive devices, chemicals and other
volatile substances. The BDT responded to 103 explosive device-related
investigations in FY'00.
The
GBI has four equipped bomb vans and three remote robots, which are
used to remotely examine packages, perform render-safe procedures
and probe structures for the State of Georgia Special Weapons and
Tactics (SWAT) Team. Members on the Bomb Disposal Team have assisted
in bomb disposal requests throughout the state and respond with
the SWAT Team on calls.
Crime
Analysis Unit
The
Crime Analysis Unit (CAU) provides information through behavioral
science related services and is divided into two sections: Criminal
Investigative Analysis (profiling) and the Crime Scene Specialist
Program.
Working
closely with the Federal Bureau of Investiga-tion’s (FBI)
National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, agents with
the GBI’s Criminal Investigative Analysis Section provide
a variety of services, including the profiling of unknown offenders
in violent crimes, crime scene reconstruction and analysis, threat
assessment, interview and interrogation techniques, investigative
strategy, search warrant affidavit assistance, prosecutorial strategy
and expert testimony.
The
section also manages the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program
or (VICAP). The database compares and links cases involving victims
of violent crimes, including cases where “foul play”
is suspected but the victim is unidentified or missing.
The
Crime Scene Specialist Program provides investigators with vital
information about a crime through the collection of evidence.
Each of the GBI’s regional offices is staffed with a crime
scene specialist.
Specialists
are equipped with state-of-the-art crime scene processing gear
that helps them identify, collect, forensically examine and preserve
physical evidence.
GBI
crime scene specialists, along with one agent with the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI), provide crime scene processing
to five metro-Atlanta counties through a cooperative effort called
the Metro Crime Scene Unit. DeKalb, Fulton, Cobb, Clayton and
Gwinnett counties all benefit from the unit.
Financial
Investigations Unit
The
Financial Investigations Unit (FIU) supplies auditors and agents
to assist in the tracking and seizure of illegally gained assets.
The unit also analyzes financial records pertaining to criminal
activity and monitors cash transaction reports. The unit investigates
major corruption cases, which often involve public officials.
Because
of an increasing number of crimes involving computers, FIU has
added computer forensics to the services it offers local law enforcement
agencies across the state. Computer forensics involves downloading
information from a computer without compromising the integrity
of the data. The GBI is the only law enforcement agency in Georgia
to offer the service to other agencies. In FY'00, FIU expanded
its staff to perform forensics services.
ACCREDITATION
In
1997, at the direction of Director Milton E. Nix, Jr., the GBI
began pursuing national accreditation through the Commission on
Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies. (CALEA).
A
year later, in November, the GBI was awarded accreditation by
CALEA, becoming the first and only state agency in Georgia to
achieve national accreditation. The GBI was awarded accreditation
as the result of an August 1998 on-site assessment where the GBI
was found to be in compliance with all 295 CALEA standards that
are applicable to the function of the GBI.
The
standards address areas such as:
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The
GBI’s role, responsibility, and relationships with other
agencies
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Organization
management and administration
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Personnel
administration
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Law
enforcement operations and operational support
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Prisoner
and court-related services
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Auxiliary
and technical services.
The period
of accreditation is three years. During this time, the GBI must
submit annual reports that document continual compliance with
standards. The GBI will be in the self-assessment phase of the
accreditation process until August of 2001 when we will seek re-accreditation.
During the
re-accreditation on-site assessment, the GBI will be tasked with
showing that the agency continues to be in compliance with all
applicable standards since our initial on-site visit in 1998.
Being accredited
through CALEA validates the excellence and professionalism of
a law enforcement agency. Director Nix and the GBI are committed
to being a law enforcement agency that exemplifies the highest
standards in law enforcement and will continue to lead the way
for Georgia public safety professionals. This commitment is illustrated
by our continued efforts to maintaining our accreditation status.
INVESTIGATIVE
EXCELLENCE
Director's
Awards
Every
year inspectors with the Investigative Division's command staff
nominate investigations to be considered for the prestigious GBI
Director’s and Deputy Director’s Awards for Investigative
Excellence.
Region
10, Conyers: During FY'00, agents with the Region 10 Office,
Conyers, took top honors for their investigation into illegal activities
by then State Senator Ralph David Abernathy, III. The office received
the Director’s Award for their professionalism and extensive
efforts in the highly-publicized investigation involving allegations
that Abernathy used his elected position for personal gain, had
improper financial dealings with purported legislative assistants,
and attempted to intimidate or otherwise influence a witness in
a judicial proceeding that involved him.
Region
10 initiated the investigation on June 18, 1998, at the request
of Attorney General Thurbert Baker, and Special Agent Principal
Fred Mays was assigned as case agent.
Special
agents conducted numerous interviews with aides, personal assistants,
secretaries, former co-workers and other state employees and expended
more than 1,500 investigative hours on the case.
A
trial in July 1999 resulted in a mistrial; however, the jury from
a retrial in December 1999 found Abernathy guilty on 18 of the 28
counts, including five counts of Theft by Taking, five counts of
False Swearing, five counts of Violation of Oath of Office, two
counts Forgery, and one count Influencing a Witness. In January
2000, Abernathy was sentenced to serve ten years in prison for his
offenses.
Deputy
Director's Awards
Two
cases were recognized for investigative excellence and received
the Deputy Director's Award.
Region
1, Calhoun: Agents with the Region 1 Office, Calhoun, received
a Deputy Director’s Award for Investigative Excellence for
their investigation into a Rockmart double-murder and the quick
apprehension of a suspect.
On
June 24, 2000, the bodies of two women were found in a Rockmart
residence. Evidence revealed that the home had been burglarized.
Rockmart Police Chief Larry Chubb requested the assistance of GBI
agents, who began an intensive investigation and search for the
perpetrator. The search led agents to a suspect, and on July 19,
2000, Christopher Brown was indicted for the murders.
Region
4, Douglas: On January 3, 2000, Broxton Police Officer James
Bryant attempted to serve a dispossessory warrant on Willie Mitchell.
Mitchell allegedly refused to speak with the officer and fled into
the nearby woods. Officer Bryant gave chase into the heavily wooded
area where shots reportedly were exchanged. Officer Bryant was fatally
wounded during the gunfire. Georgia State Troopers Lisa Stocks and
Chris Ramey and Coffee County Deputy Clyde Merritt arrived at the
scene and tried to assist Officer Bryant.
In
the process of giving assistance, Deputy Merritt also was fatally
shot. GBI special agents from Region 4, Douglas, were called to
the scene, and Special Agent James Steinberg, Jr., was appointed
case agent. Special agents from Region 12, Eastman, and Region 14,
Kingsland, and members of the Special Response Team (SRT) were asked
to assist in controlling the crime scene and managing the crime
scene examination.
Two
hours after the shootings, Assistant Special Agent in Charge (SAC)
Greg Harvey of Region 12 and Waycross Detective Gene Nipper apprehended
Mitchell as the suspect exited the wooded area onto Highway 441.
Agents
worked to secure the crime scene, search the scene for the suspect's
weapons, search the suspect's residence, and interview witnesses
to the shootings.
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In
November of 1999, agents with Region 14 raided a dog fighting
event that resulted in the arrests of more than 60 people.
The raid proved to the the largest of its kind in Georgia's
history. Other state and federal agencies assisted in the
operation.
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