To Enhance Local Law Enforcements Abilities in all Aspects of Computer Forensics

Submitted by: Police Investigative Operations Committee

PIO.018.a09

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police represents Law Enforcement Executives from around the world; and

WHEREAS, the prevalence of electronic evidence is now a routine issue in all crimes and at most crime scenes; and

WHEREAS, the effects of Globalization more often requires that local law enforcement assume a greater role in prevention and detection of criminal acts where evidence may be found beyond current geographic jurisdictions; and

WHEREAS, the National Academy of Science Report entitled Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States called for various improvements in the development of forensic science which would include digital evidence; and

WHEREAS, the United States Secret Service operates a National Computer Forensics Institute in Hoover, Alabama which has provided critical training to hundreds of local law enforcement agencies across the nation; and

WHEREAS, from May 2008 to August 2009, the United States Secret Service has provided critical training to 564 state and local law enforcement officials representing over 300 agencies from 49 states and 2 U.S. territories in the arena of computer forensics at the National Computer Forensics Institute

WHEREAS, the Federal Bureau of Investigation operates fourteen Regional Computer Forensic Laboratories that are designed to support law enforcement agencies and investigation by serving as a computer forensics laboratory and training centers devoted to the examination of digital evidence; and,

WHEREAS, during FY 2008, the Regional Computer Forensic Laboratories conducted 4,524 forensic examinations of digital evidence and trained 4,991 law enforcement personnel in various digital forensic techniques; now therefore be it; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP duly assembled at its 116th Annual Conference in Denver, Colorado requests that Congress and the White House now increase support of the United States Secret Service National Computer Forensics Institute and the FBIs Regional Computer Forensic Laboratories to provide the training and resources necessary to address the concerns raised in the National Academy of Science Report; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP recommend to Congress that funding is made available to expand the National Computer Forensics Institute and establish additional Regional Computer Forensic Laboratories.