DPA 2025 Annual Conference

Tom Bell is a licensed private investigator and digital forensic examiner. Since 2021, Tom has worked with DPA offices around the Commonwealth consulting on digital evidence. Tom retired from the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office in 2019 where he was the supervisor over the Cyber Crimes Branch, a unit he helped launch in 2008. During his time at KYOAG Tom conducted highly complex investigations involving the online sexual exploitation of children as a member of the ICAC Task Force. While at KYOAG, Tom was a Task Force Officer with Homeland Security Investigations, working with federal and international partners in online child exploitation cases. Tom also obtained several certifications in digital forensics and has conducted hundreds of device examinations. Tom has qualified as, and testified as, an expert in digital forensics in state and federal courts. During his 30-year career Tom has worked in many areas of law enforcement, including corrections and city/county policing. Tom has been a guest presenter at the Department of Criminal Justice Training on topics including electronic evidence and online child exploitation and has presented to community groups and schools on Internet safety.