Ph.D. student plays key role at Homeland Security
July 27, 2021
Doug Gilmer says he watched a lot of the TV police show Starsky and Hutch when he was growing up, and knew from an early age he wanted to be in law enforcement. His dream came true. Today he holds the important position of assistant special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Alabama, focusing on the issue of human trafficking in the United States. He is also scheduled to complete his from Ƶ this fall.
In the following Q&A Gilmer discusses his work and how CIU’s online learning experience is making a difference in his career.
Describe your work at Homeland Security Investigations. Much of it seems to revolve around investigating human trafficking.
Human trafficking is a top investigative priority of HSI. Human trafficking, both sex and labor trafficking, is everywhere though many don’t recognize it. HSI is very good at building partnerships and coalitions, so working with our state and local law enforcement partners we expend a lot of effort to investigate these cases. We also take a unique approach to our investigations in that we are victim centered and trauma informed. What this means is, we look at these cases through the eyes of the victim and the trauma they’ve endured, and we always put the victim first. In fact, we value the identification and recovery of a human trafficking victim, and getting them to restorative care, as much as we do a prosecution.
If you want to learn more about human trafficking, I encourage you to visit.
Why is human trafficking a big concern to law enforcement in recent years?
For many years, human trafficking wasn’t even a recognized term in law enforcement. We’ve only been using it for about 20 years. Before that, we just called it prostitution. Prostitution is a crime of choice, though typically for those with the fewest choices. Regardless, some people choose this lifestyle to make money and it is a crime. Human trafficking is a crime of exploitation and those who are exploited are victims of crime. There is a big difference between the two. Human trafficking victims are manipulated into commercial sex or forced labor situations through force, fraud, or coercion.
Human trafficking is estimated to be a $150 billion a year business globally. The U.S. State Department says it is the second largest criminal enterprise in the world, second only to the illegal drug trade. It is estimated there are more people enslaved through human trafficking and its various forms today in the United States than at any other time in our nation’s history. Think about that. Regardless of the statistics, the numbers, etc., in human trafficking people of all ages are being exploited and being forced to do unthinkable things. That, in and of itself, should make this a concern to law enforcement.
What led you to pursue your career path?
In addition to some relevant life events while I was young, I had some very good mentors and role models growing up, including my grandfather who spent a career in federal law enforcement. It just always seemed a natural desire of mine. While probably most new law enforcement officers would say they got into this job because they wanted to help people, there are a lot of jobs one could take where they could help people. I think it goes deeper in law enforcement and other public safety careers. I think it is more of a desire to help people who may not or cannot help themselves.
The most rewarding times of my career have been those where I have pursued international human rights violators and war criminals, bringing overdue justice to victims of atrocity; investigating and holding accountable those who prey on children through sexual exploitation; and of course, those who enslave others through commercial sexual exploitation (sex trafficking), and labor trafficking.
I am motivated by Proverbs 21:15, “When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers” (NIV).
When it came to choosing a Ph.D. program, what attracted you to CIU’s Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership program?
I knew I wanted to work on a Ph.D., but I also knew I wanted to work on one using the European model like this program does. The program is shorter, and I am not getting any younger, and I believed it would provide a challenge for me. I also knew I didn't want to be pigeon-holed into a certain topic and while this program is focused on Organizational Leadership, I was provided the latitude to make the course work, and ultimately my dissertation, applicable to my career.
How is the program assisting you in your work and professional goals?
I have learned a great deal through this program. The course work has been challenging but it taught me a great deal on building teams, facilitating trust, assuring accountability, developing others, and improving myself as a leader. Leadership is a concept that can be applied no matter who you are and where you work. I’ve appreciated the opportunity to share some of my experiences with the others in my cohort and learn from their experiences as well. Figuring out how to apply what I’ve learned to the workplace has actually been fun and I’ve enjoyed seeing the positive outcomes.
How will the Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership assist you in your career? Earn it in just 27months! .
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