During this hour-long broadcast, learn how to identify if someone has been drugged. Also, find out how to begin an investigation and why timing is critical. See how you might be able to prevent an assault from happening in the first place. Learn how many prescription and over-the-counter medications react negatively with alcohol, and may cause severe impairment.
Learning Objectives:
- Gain an awareness of the magnitude and issues surrounding drug-facilitated sexual assault
- Learn which drugs and strategies are often used for drug-facilitated sexual assault
- See what first steps should be if a victim reports a drug-facilitated sexual assault
- Find out why drug-facilitated sexual assault cases are often difficult to prosecute and how law enforcement officers can work to make it a little easier
Originally Aired: October 31, 2008
Panelists
Stephen O’Keefe
Retired Prosecutor
Edward Stephen O’Keefe retired from the State Attorney’s Office in Pinellas County Florida where he was most recently assigned to the special prosecution unit responsible for major crimes and computer electronic communications investigations and prosecution.
O’Keefe has been in law enforcement since 1965 and has been a Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission certified instructor and curriculum maintenance system certified facilitator and instructor. He was appointed Assistant State Attorney and active prosecutor in August of 1989. O’Keefe is the coordinator of legal instruction for Basic Recruit Law Enforcement and Basic Corrections Officer Academies at the Southeastern Public Safety Institute in St. Petersburg.
O’Keefe has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Villanova University and a Juris Doctorate from Golden Gate University School of Law. O’Keefe is also a Marine and Army Veteran and served as an FBI Special Agent for 20 years.
Trinka Porrata
GHB Expert, Retired Police Officer
In 1999, Trinka Porrata retired from the Los Angeles Police Department. She is currently a consultant.
Porrata served 25 years with the Los Angeles Police Department, retiring as a narcotics detective supervisor. Her assignments included patrol, sexual assault investigations, child abuse investigations and the crime lab. Since retiring, she has provided specialized training nationwide and internationally and has testified as an expert witness on a variety of cases. She operates a GHB Addiction Helpline through Project GHB’s website and has organized international conferences on GHB abuse and research.
Porrata earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Police Administration and Public Safety at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.
Bonnie Weis
Detective in the Special Victims Unit, Toledo Police Department
Detective Weis has been a member of the Toledo Police Department for twenty-four years and has spent the last three in the Special Victims Unit. During her tenure, she has also been assigned to Support Services, Uniform Division, the Investigative Services Bureau, and the burglary unit.
Weis has also been assigned to the Toledo Police Academy as an instructor.
She has an Associate Degree of Applied Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Toledo.