Cheryl Purdy was presented the Voice for Change award Friday by New Beginnings Sexual Assault Support Services. Purdy, a special deputy with the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office, was recognized for her work in making a difference in the lives of survivors of sexual assault.
The Voice for Change award is presented annually by New Beginnings to someone who works with sexual assault survivors in some capacity.
“I was honored and humbled to receive this award,” Purdy said. “The title of the award itself speaks volumes — ‘Voice of Change.’ I have been doing this for the last 10 years. At that time (10 years ago), there were very few agencies within the state of Kentucky that had an in-house digital forensic program, so outsourcing the examination of digital devices was the norm. Backlogs, though, were well over a year. The wait often resulted in the re-victimization, so to speak, of abuse/sexual abuse victims.”
She continued, “In the beginning, there were a few cases in which digital forensics provided evidence, but once it was realized we could extract and analyze evidence (in a forensically sound manner) locally, it grew to where we are today. Digital devices, especially mobile phones, play a role in the prosecution of most criminal cases.”
Purdy is a sworn law enforcement officer with full powers of arrest. On an unpaid volunteer basis, she does digital forensics for DCSO and other area law enforcement agencies.
Digital forensics assist in criminal investigations by providing more evidence of a crime to include cell phone GPS data, call logs, text messages, and emails. These otherwise inaccessible spheres of information are made available to detectives to further such investigations as child pornography, child sex abuse, homicide, robbery and most any other investigation law enforcement undertakes.
In addition to phones, Purdy can access information from wireless routers, laptops, tablets, video surveillance systems and more. Purdy also maintains contact with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and she shares information to ensure that victims of child pornography are identified following the closing of a case to ensure that their images are taken off the internet.
She also assists detectives in preparing and executing search warrants to such companies as Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, Google, and WhatsApp.
Brad Youngman, New Beginnings board chair and former DCSO detective, said the critical work Purdy does on behalf of sexual assault survivors is invaluable to the detectives that present their cases.
“Without the specialized evidence that Cheryl locates, many of our cases would never grow to the level that we need in order to put these monsters (sex assault suspects) in prison,” Youngman said. “Cheryl works behind the scenes, and outside of the detective and prosecutors offices she is rarely recognized for the work that she does. New Beginnings is proud to recognize her and grateful for everything she does to protect our community.”
Karla Ward, New Beginnings executive director, echoed Youngman.
“Her work has led to many arrests,” Ward said of Purdy. “We felt it was important to recognize her because she’s kind of a behind-the-scenes person but what she does is very important.”
A statement from the Commonwealth Attorney’s office reads in part, “Cheryl is a vitally important asset to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, especially in the prosecution of child sexual exploitation cases. Without her vast knowledge of digital forensics, many cases of child pornography would go unprosecuted due to a lack of evidence. Cheryl has also been vital in the prosecution of homicide cases, drug cases, and robbery cases. … Not very many individuals can do the job that Cheryl can do. Every day she has to see the worst of the worst when it comes to the sexual exploitation of children and images of child pornography.”
Purdy said the reason she continues her work is simple: “I do this because I feel like I make a difference with what I do.”
