With its gray sofa, matching stuffed armchairs, and a painting of the seaside hanging overhead, the room looks like somebody’s den. A small table holds potted plants and a box of tissues, while sunlight coming through the window reflects off tan walls to give the place a cozy feel.
The atmosphere is a marked contrast to the regular interview room next door with its utilitarian white table and two desk chairs – and that’s by design.
This new “soft” interview room at the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) office in Washington, DC is one of 14 that have been put together in offices across the country since 2023. Three more—also partially funded by the Sexual Assault Prevention Response and Recovery Program (SAPRR)—are being converted in Houston, Texas, Seattle, Washington, and Juneau, Alaska. It’s part of an effort by CGIS to help survivors come forward and feel safe reporting crimes and to elevate how the service investigates these cases.
“We understand the interview process can be very intimidating,” said CGIS Director Jeremy Gauthier, noting these revamped spaces are purposely located in low traffic areas to maximize privacy. “We want to do everything we can to reduce that anxiety and create an environment where people feel emotionally safe and comfortable.”
At a time when CGIS faces a rising volume of sexual harassment and assault cases, these interview rooms are one way to ensure its agents are conducting the most professional and thorough investigations possible, while removing barriers to victim reporting and increasing their willingness to participate fully in investigations. In addition, as part of a service-wide modernization effort Gauthier launched after he arrived in 2022, CGIS has also improved communication with survivors, added trauma-informed updates to how interviews should be conducted, enhanced digital evidence gathering capabilities, and made other changes to improve how it handles sensitive investigations.
Here are the details:
Agents are now required to check in on victims every 30 days
Building on the practices of some agents in the field, a service-wide notice went out in April to require regular, monthly check-ins with survivors, even when there is nothing new to report. The idea is to keep the lines of communication open during the investigative process. “I think victims believe that their cases are taking forever,” Gauthier said. This is one way to remind them that the investigation is proceeding, and they haven’t been forgotten. Agents are also required to complete a final victim brief at the end of an investigation.
Training has been enhanced to hone investigative skills
Dan Cooke, chief of training for CGIS says training has evolved to ensure agents understand the forensics of sexual assault and are able to fully employ trauma-informed interview techniques to maximize memory recall. “We want our agents to continuously hone their interviewing skills and be mindful of a victim’s situation and be more compassionate,” he said. “You don’t want to rush and upset a person who has already been through a trauma.”
First-line supervisors have received additional specialized training, which is being expanded to all field agents, adds Gauthier. “As an agent, the interview represents a significant portion of the investigation and is vital to overall investigative quality,” he said. “Investigative excellence is our currency – the main skill we use is talking to people. So, we must be good at it.”
In addition, CGIS has made the selection process for new supervisory agents more rigorous and invested in talent management efforts to help build the most proficient team possible.
Digital literacy initiatives have bolstered evidence collection
Investigations across all CGIS disciplines are becoming increasingly complex as criminals and entities increase their use of technology while committing illicit activities. Beginning in 2023, CGIS embarked on a targeted effort to expand its Electronic Crimes Division (ECD) and invested in initiatives to ensure investigative methods keep up with the growth of digital media and the rapid pace of technological advancements. “Virtually everyone leaves behind a digital footprint,” says ECD Chief David Oleksa, “This brings new possibilities and challenges to criminal investigative organizations like ours.” As a result, agents have received updated training on how to gather evidence – both incriminating and exculpatory – from cellphones, iPads, and many other devices.
In addition, all CGIS offices will soon have the tools needed – phone dumping equipment, for example – to more efficiently exploit digital media to enable them to access the evidence such as text messages or phone call information, in a timely manner. CGIS has also strategically located digital forensic examiners at its field offices; these contractors increase teams’ capabilities and decrease digital forensic examination timelines.
Investigative procedures have been updated
To keep pace with increased investigative demands, modernization, and to further professionalize the service, CGIS is revising investigative policies and standard operating procedures, many of which had not been updated in over 10 years. Investigative procedures have been modified to reflect new mandates – including the criminalization of sexual harassment and expanded criminalization of retaliation – as both call for aggressive CGIS response.
In addition, legislative changes that took effect in January 2023 involving sexual misconduct across the maritime industry have resulted in increased reporting, for both criminal and non-criminal incidents. To help educate service members as well as the maritime industry, CGIS has launched proactive “Crime Reduction Campaigns” designed to ensure that survivors, commands, companies, and Coast Guard personnel and their families all understand what CGIS can do and to provide clear pathways for reporting.
New internal oversight program implemented
To ensure the highest levels of professionalism and quality of investigative products, beginning in the spring 2023, CGIS implemented an internal oversight program, which includes standardized case review. The review enables CGIS to identify trends and ensure its workforce is effectively staffed, trained and equipped. It also helps agents learn lessons for the future. Supervisors are required to review cases on established timelines throughout the investigation, including evaluating the timeliness and quality of the investigative plan, interviews, and assessing opportunities for additional efforts.
Gauthier, who spent nearly 22 years with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), began work to modernize CGIS shortly after he took office in September 2022, with many facets implemented prior to Operation Fouled Anchor becoming public.
The fact that a rise in sexual misconduct reporting put CGIS in the spotlight has helped with broader organizational prioritization and accelerated these critical modernization efforts. It’s also given his team an opportunity to address historical resource challenges, boost organizational confidence, and further professionalize their work.
“I am incredibly proud to represent the women and men of CGIS and honor the history and legacy of what our badge represents,” he said. “My goal is for CGIS to be a premier maritime investigative organization. Ultimately, we exist to increase the operational readiness of Coast Guard personnel, assets and their families and to ensure the safety of the marine transportation system.”
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