Hear directly from the men and women dedicating their lives to protecting the vulnerable
At Our Rescue, we proudly empower and support the heroic work of law enforcement both domestically and internationally.
Across the U.S., digital forensic units and police agencies play a critical role in the fight against child exploitation. Specialized teams analyze devices, recover deleted data, and find the evidence needed to identify child sex offenders and rescue survivors. Their work is often unseen, but its impact is life-changing.
“ICAC Task Forces are incredibly efficient, but they’re increasingly outmatched by the volume of cases, limited funding, and the technological complexity of these crimes,” said Derek Benner, CEO of Our Rescue. “[Our Rescue’s] ICAC Connect exists to close that gap. This is about empowering those who protect children every single day.”
Through support and resources like advanced training, digital forensics tools, and Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9s, Our Rescue partners with agencies to strengthen investigations and enable them to work faster and more effectively. Every recovered file and every suspect arrested can mean one less child in danger.
Sergeant Julie Ballou of the Digital Cyber Crime Unit at the Vancouver Police Department said, “What drives me personally to keep going and staying motivated is I know that any time I arrest one offender, I am saving or stopping—pausing at least—the sexual abuse of children.”
Police Officer Donald Waterman of the Calciesu Sherriff’s Department in LA also shared, “I thought, what’s something that would actually really motivate me? It was stopping human trafficking. I had volunteered with some nonprofits before whenever I was in college, and I thought, if I did something with that, that would be something really worth waking up every day having to drive for.”
The work requires dedication, compassion, and commitment to the cause of justice.
“I’m very passionate about this field,” added Maddie Vogelsant, a Digital Forensics Investigator with the Vancouver Police Department. “I think it’s one of the most important jobs that can be done.”
At Our Rescue, we believe that even one child being sexually exploited is reason enough to face the darkest parts of humanity and bring them home. Officers working these frontline cases understand it better than anyone else.
“I learned a long time ago, through a hard lesson, that it’s not about your numbers,” said Detective Sergeant Chris Kozisek of Stone County Sherriff’s Department. “It’s not about your stats. It’s not about how many bad guys you put in jail. It’s about the difference you make.”
Detective Jake Carlow works with his ESD K9 Hota at the Vancouver Police Department and has seen first-hand the impact their work is making in children’s lives.
“Seeing the team work so hard and utilize all the resources we had, and then seeing Hota play with the kid after we were able to rescue him from those conditions was worth its weight in gold.”
Every rescued child, every case closed, is a reminder of why this work matters. At Our Rescue, we are honored to stand beside these heroes, providing the tools, technology, and training that empower them to protect the vulnerable and bring hope where it’s needed most.
