ATLANTA — Georgia State University computer science major Tre’von Herman said his summer internship drew him to a career in cybersecurity. Herman spent his summer with the Atlanta Police Department (APD), working in its real-time crime center.
Real-time crime centers are hubs where law enforcement professionals analyze surveillance, intelligence and data from several sources in real time.
“I really like it. [This internship] made me realize this is the field that I want to be in,” Herman said. “I like helping people and making sure everyone is safe.”
In this role, Herman was responsible for extracting live video feeds from an array of surveillance cameras and unifying them, like connecting pieces of a puzzle, to help officers with critical information.
From the crime center, Herman could help officers with quicker response times, give officers more information about incidents and help officers determine who was at fault during traffic incidents.
“Working with Tre’von Herman was a positive experience. Tre’von had effective communication, mutual respect and a willingness to support us in any task placed in front of him,” said APD Officer Daniel Brown. “An internship with the real-time crime center is crucial because it provides invaluable hands-on experience, helping students develop practical skills, gain industry insights and build professional work ethics that are essential for future career growth."
Herman said he was initially nervous when starting his internship with the APD, but his supervisors made him feel comfortable.
“I didn’t have any experience in the field, so I felt nervous at first, but they explained everything so well and explained the different things I could do in this industry,” Herman said.
Herman, who is anticipating graduating this fall, said his experience at APD is more than just a summer internship. Thanks to the networking opportunities at APD, Herman said he was able to find a job opportunity with NetPlanner, an Atlanta-based IT solutions company, as a security project manager.
“You have a better chance of being successful when you have an internship. This internship has helped me so much and put me in a better position,” Herman said.
Herman said he’s thankful for his computer science degree, which provided the foundation to support his future career endeavors.