Steve Shepherd

Steve is a retired police officer from Devon and Cornwall Police with 25 years of policing experience in various roles and with a background in digital technology and social media. He qualified as a Lost Person Search Manager and has lead many physical searches co-ordinating search and rescue with partner services like the Coastguard and Dartmoor Search and Rescue.

Steve joined the South West Grid for Learning and the UK Safer Internet Centre 5 years ago, on attachment from the police, as their Digital Engagement Officer and Law Enforcement Link. He is now part of their online safety team. This allows Steve to be at the forefront of digital media technology and understand not only the power of social media and the internet but also how people and especially children and young people use it.

Steve was instrumental in implementing the use of social media into his police service and quickly developed posting strategies to assist with investigations.

Steve has also undertaken several Open Source Investigation (OSINT) courses allowing him to combine his love of social media with investigation techniques, and notably around missing people cases.