Fighting Crime, One USB Drive at a Time

To enhance the digital capabilities of the New South Wales Police Force, front-line officers are undergoing specialized training in the utilization of advanced digital forensic tools, with a particular focus on ADF Triage-Examiner. This groundbreaking initiative aims to equip officers with the necessary skills to effectively identify and preserve electronic evidence.

As Inspector Glenn Allen, Operations Controller of the State Electronic Evidence Branch, highlighted, one of the primary objectives of the comprehensive TECO training is to ensure that officers do not compromise the integrity of data during the process of capturing and analyzing it. He emphasized the importance of maintaining the original state of information, citing SMS messages as a prime example.

Inspector Allen explained that simply browsing through a suspect's phone inbox without the proper training and tools can inadvertently alter the data. For instance, reading a message would change its status from unread to read, and the officer would inadvertently modify the recorded access times on the device.

Recognizing the critical need for accuracy and the potential consequences of mishandling electronic evidence, the New South Wales Police Force has made significant investments in training programs that empower officers with the expertise required to effectively navigate the intricate world of digital forensics. By harnessing the power of specialized tools like ADF Triage-Examiner, officers can confidently extract and analyze electronic evidence while safeguarding its integrity, ultimately ensuring the successful prosecution of criminals and the delivery of justice to the community they serve.

“The NSW Police Force is on a mission to boost the digital capability of the state’s law enforcement, enlisting the support of 50 frontline officers specially trained in identifying and preserving electronic evidence.”

"Inspector Glenn Allen, Operations Controller of the State Electronic Evidence Branch, told iTnews one of the main aims of the TECO training was to ensure officers don’t compromise the integrity of data in the process of capturing and analyzing it. 

Take SMS messages as an example, he said.

If an officer were simply to go through the inbox of a suspect’s phone, then they would unintentionally change the data. A message would be changed from being unread to read, and the officer would have modified the access times as recorded on the device." 

Note that since the time of this article, Triage-Examiner has been renamed Triage-Investigator.