MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
The Reno County Sheriff's Office is using updated digital forensic technology purchased through a $25,000 grant from the Kansas Attorney General's Office to dramatically reduce the time it takes investigators to extract evidence from cell phones and other digital devices.
Sheriff Darrian Campbell said the sheriff's office learned about the grant opportunity last year after the Attorney General's Office notified law enforcement agencies that funding was available for technology upgrades.
The department had already been discussing the need to replace aging computer systems used by detectives to conduct forensic examinations of cell phones. Detective Keaton Berger prepared the grant request, seeking funding for high-performance computers and related equipment needed to process digital evidence more efficiently.
"We received notification that we were going to receive those funds," Campbell said. "We were able to order the equipment and get it installed and operating last September."
The upgraded systems have significantly improved the speed of digital forensic investigations. Campbell said one detective reported that a cell phone download that previously required more than a full day can now be completed in about an hour and a half.
"Everybody lives on their phone," Campbell said. "It's critical that when those phones are seized that they get downloaded immediately to seize that evidence."
The sheriff's office has two detectives certified to perform digital forensic examinations. The technology allows investigators to recover data that can be used in a wide range of criminal investigations, including text messages, communications, and other digital evidence.
Campbell said the upgraded equipment has proven valuable in investigations involving burglaries, property crimes, drug offenses and child exploitation cases.
"It seems like when people commit burglaries, property crimes, drug offenses, or child porn, people live on their phones," he said. "Being able to successfully quickly download and seize that evidence is crucial."
In addition to faster processing speeds, Campbell said the department upgraded its Cellebrite forensic software package, allowing investigators to recover more information than was previously possible.
"We were able to go back into some cases and actually download more data and come up with the evidence that we were looking for," Campbell said. "We knew it was there but didn't have the capabilities."
He said the improvements benefit not only investigators but also crime victims.
"It's crucial, and it's not just for our agency, but for the victim," Campbell said. "To be able to get the evidence against a person violating the law and creating victims, and to be able to get justice for them is necessary."
According to the Kansas Attorney General's Office, nearly $250,000 in grant funding was awarded to 17 sheriff's offices across the state. Reno County used its grant to purchase digital intelligence evidence devices that allow investigators to collect and process digital information more quickly for a variety of crimes, including child exploitation and burglary investigations.
Campbell said the application process was less burdensome than many federal grant programs, making it easier for the department to secure funding.
"When the Attorney General's Office put out that they had a pot of money, we didn't have to jump through the hoops that we do when we go through the Department of Justice," Campbell said. "It was kind of low-hanging fruit, and it helped us be successful for the community."
He added that the new technology gives investigators another important resource as they work to solve crimes and build stronger cases for prosecution.
"Absolutely," Campbell said. "It gives you another tool in your pocket."