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Digital Forensic Investigation Center Opens In Louisville
Source: WAVE web site
By Caton Bredar
(LOUISVILLE, Oct. 19th, 2006) -- FBI Agents were in Louisville this week to unveil a new state-of-the art crime lab. Located on UofL's Shelby campus, the new Kentucky Regional Computer Forensics Lab is one of only 14 in the nation, with the goal of analyzing digital evidence from crime scenes, and training future crime fighters. As WAVE 3's Caton Bredar reports, law enforcement agencies from across the state believe the new lab will help the Commonwealth stay one step ahead of the criminals.
It's much like something you'd see on a television episode, only according to law enforcement agents, it's reality. Crime has gone high-tech, and crime fighters have to be equally computer-savvy, to stay ahead of the criminals.
As Kerry Haynes, from the FBI's Science and Technology Branch explains, "...in a single day, in terms of electronic communications using computers, there are 84 billion communications a day."
Haynes goes on to say that the numbers of children being exposed to sexually explicit material over the Internet are equally staggering. In cases of child predators on the Internet, or many other types of crimes, digital evidence has become essential in catching the criminals and prosecuting those cases.
"Although physical evidence still holds an important role," Haynes says, "... weapons, finger prints and fibers are always critical to investigation. So, too, is digital evidence."
A new lab, with the ability to record and analyze digital evidence is key to crime fighting, according to Agent Tracy Reinhold, of the Louisville Division of the FBI. "It brings cutting edge technology to bare on crime problems," Reinhold says. "Anywhere from national security issues, to crimes against children, to traditional violent crime."
Kentucky's new, regional computer forensics lab, or RCFL, unites four separate local and state agencies, pooling resources as well as energy to analyze all types of digital evidence.
According to David James, Commissioner of the Kentucky Bureau of Investigation, digital evidence is involved in most crimes and is everywhere.
"Either through the cell phone, or text messaging on the cell phone, or the computer--digital camera, or digital video recorders," James explains, adding that palm pilots and blackberries also frequently hold digital evidence of crimes.
The new lab will include computers for extracting and recording that digital evidence, storage areas for computers that are entered into evidence, and imaging rooms for duplicating the evidence and creating back-up files. There's work-space for ten examiners, with room to expand for up to eight more examiners. An audio enhancement station can assist with hard to hear evidence, often gathered through under-cover investigations.
As Commissioner James offers, "there are very few cases anymore in which law enforcement gets involved in, in which there's not some form of digital evidence."
Having the new lab to find that digital evidence will help to make the community safer.
"Having RCFL here, in order to gather that evidence, is an as asset that law enforcement hasn't had available to them before," James says. "The number one responsibility of government is the safety of its citizens. And this is the perfect tool to do that with."
The new lab will start accepting evidence from the four participating agencies next week.
Online Reporter: Caton Bredar
Online Producer: Michael Dever
[Original Article on the WAVE web site ]