Take your learning on the road, or stay off the road and learn at your desk! Either way, podcasts and webinar recordings are a convenient way to hear about something new. We have a few here that we think will inform and inspire you.
Cybercrime Investigations
Mobile devices—in this instance, cell phones—are filled with abundant data that can help in a law enforcement investigation. Investigators need to know what to look for, and then they need to know how to lawfully obtain it. Listen as a certified forensic computer examiner discusses the ins and outs of performing advanced data extractions on cell phones.1
Guest: Detective Wade Higgason, Livonia Police Department, Michigan State Police
This podcast was recorded prior to the death of TLO founder Hank Asher. While some of the statements made in this podcast may no longer be the case, we still think it is a worthwhile listen for those wanting to hear about how the TLOxp® Online Investigative System works. TLO has since been acquired by TransUnion.1
Guest: Bill Wiltse, Security Director, Law Enforcement Systems, TLO
Knowing where to look and how to search is the first step to conducting a successful online investigation. Law enforcement investigators need to know how to choose the best search tools and sites to obtain the best information possible. Listen as we pare down the field to a select few sites—some paid and some free—that will help investigators focus on finding the information they need.1
Guest: Nicole Bocra, President, Infinity Investigative Solutions
Being able to find relevant information in a timely manner during an investigation is critical. Investigators first need to know the basics of Internet searching and be familiar with the tools they are using. Then they need to know how to ensure their results are relevant and how to validate the information. Listen as we focus on a few select tools that help law enforcement investigators. And then hear why investigators should take advantage of publicly available information on social networking sites.1
Guest: Cynthia Hetherington, President, Hetherington Group (Hetherington Resources)
Knowing what tools are available to capture the digital data collected in an investigation is crucial. A wide variety of tools are available, but investigators must first understand what their organizational and individual needs are. Doing so will help them select products that meet their specifications. Hear about data capture and storage, and learn why developing an organizational policy surrounding digital evidence is the first step every agency should take.1
Guest: Todd Shipley, President & CEO, Vere Software
The challenges of investigations exist on many levels and often take a significant toll on the mental health of those involved. This is especially true for investigations that involve child abuse/child pornography and human trafficking. In this podcast, SAIC Anthony Maez talks about how he helped create a groundbreaking mental wellness program in New Mexico that offers professional support to his investigators, and gives them resources that span far beyond traditional coping skills.1
Guest: Anthony Maez, Special Agent in Charge, New Mexico Attorney General’s Office
P2P networks are a common avenue for sharing and distributing child pornography. Trained law enforcement investigators routinely monitor the P2P networks that are known hotbeds for child pornography. Listen as an investigator with the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force describes the challenges law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges face when bringing these cases to court.1
Guest: Sergeant Steve Anders, Bedford County (Virginia) Sheriff’s Office
An affidavit for a search warrant is a key tool in a P2P network investigation involving child pornography. In this podcast, former prosecutor Justin Fitzsimmons gives specific examples of the types of things investigators need to include in their affidavit so that they are giving the judge all the information he/she needs to grant the request. He talks about court decisions that have upheld undercover P2P investigations, and shares his views for the future of these types of cases.1
Guest: Justin Fitzsimmons, Program Manager, High-Tech Crime Training Services, SEARCH
Justice Information Sharing
The American Probation and Parole Association (APPA), with technical expertise from SEARCH, partnered with the Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision (ICAOS) to develop and pilot an information exchange with law enforcement through state fusion centers.
ICAOS represents the sole authority for regulating the transfer of adult probationers and parolees across states, including more than 150,000 transfer requests annually.
Using Global standards such as the Global Reference Architecture (GRA) and National Information Exchange Model (NIEM), APPA and SEARCH helped implement a pilot exchange involving the New York State Intelligence Center (NYSIC), that state’s fusion center. As part of this pilot, since September 2013, NYSIC has received more than 200 notifications—on average, 10 per week—of potentially dangerous or high-risk probationers/parolees entering the State of New York. In turn, NYSIC disseminates these notifications to local police departments throughout the state to improve officer safety and promote collaboration between police, probation, and parole agencies.
In this podcast, SEARCH and APPA staff discuss details of the pilot information exchange. ICAOS, APPA, and SEARCH are expanding the exchange to other states and state fusion centers across the country.
Participants: Yogesh Chawla, Information Sharing Specialist, SEARCH; Adam Matz, Research Associate, APPA; Leonard Sipes, Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA), District of Columbia (interviewer).
Length: 30:16
Operational since March 2008, the Law Enforcement National Data Exchange (N-DEx) System was developed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division and is an investigative tool to exchange criminal justice information across disparate local, state, tribal, and federal justice systems.
This two-part podcast was created in 2009, when N-DEx was in its infancy. Since that time, some of our nation’s 18,000 law enforcement agencies have begun submitting data to the system. Undoubtedly much of that data has helped solve crime and reduced victimization. For agencies that are still not participating in N-DEx for whatever reason, this podcast still holds value. Listen as these top cops share their take on how they got their jurisdictions into N-DEx and how they wouldn’t have it any other way.2
Guests: Chief Mark A. Marshall, First Vice President, International Association of Chiefs of Police; Pam Scanlon, Executive Director, Automated Regional Justice Information System; Deputy Chief Christopher M. Moore, San Jose (California) Police Department; Captain Scott D. Edson, Los Angeles County (California) Sheriff’s Department
Part 1
Part 2
In 2012 we sat down with some N-DEx outreach liaisons to get an update on the system. They discussed some highlights: Access had been expanded to probation/parole, courts, prosecutors, medical examiners, dispatch centers, and other criminal justice agencies. They also touched on some lowlights: Some agencies were still not participating, mainly due to technical and financial challenges. But they also offered possible solutions to those agencies. If you still need to learn more about N-DEx, it’s worth your while to listen to this podcast.3
Guests: Chris Brown, N-DEx Outreach Liaison, International Association of Chiefs of Police; Supervisory Special Agent Michael Haas, Unit Chief and Program Manager, N-DEx Program Office, FBI CJIS Division; Supervisory Special Agent Jeffrey C. Lindsey, N-DEx Unit Chief (former), FBI CJIS Division
Law and Policy
On February 3, 2017, SEARCH hosted the first in a series of webinars resulting from the work of a Focus Group on Auditing Criminal History Information Systems. This webinar specifically addresses arrest and disposition reporting, while future webinars will take a deeper dive into various auditing methodologies and training for contributing agencies.4
Panelists: Lorena Bukovich-Notti, Supervisor, Quality Assurance Unit, Alaska Department of Public Safety; Leila McNeill, Operations Officer, Bureau of Criminal Identification, Idaho State Police; Roxann Asleson, Criminal History Auditor, Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Department of Public Safety; Kristina Davis, Disposition Processing Team Supervisor, Washington State Patrol
Length: 1:21:55
On April 11, 2017, SEARCH hosted the second in a series of webinars resulting from the work of a Focus Group on Auditing Criminal History Information Systems. This webinar specifically addresses various auditing methodologies and reporting methods for contributing agencies.4
Panelists: Jenifer Burris, Criminal Justice Specialist/Auditor, Alaska Department of Public Safety; Leila McNeill, Operations Officer, Bureau of Criminal Identification, Idaho State Police; Roxann Asleson, Criminal History Auditor, Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Department of Public Safety; and John Tveter, Criminal Identification Coordination Specialist, Washington State Patrol.
Length: 1:18:26
On June 14, 2017, SEARCH hosted the third in a series of webinars resulting from the work of a Focus Group on Auditing Criminal History Information Systems. This webinar addresses training for contributing agencies.4
Panelists: Leila McNeill, Operations Officer, Bureau of Criminal Identification, Idaho State Police; Katie Beer, Criminal History Auditor, Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Department of Public Safety; Elaine Hale, Trainer, Washington State Patrol Criminal History Records section.
Length: 1:05:11
Guests: Chris Brown, N-DEx Outreach Liaison, International Association of Chiefs of Police; Supervisory Special Agent Michael Haas, Unit Chief and Program Manager, N-DEx Program Office, FBI CJIS Division; Supervisory Special Agent Jeffrey C. Lindsey, N-DEx Unit Chief (former), FBI CJIS Division
1This project was supported by Cooperative Agreement #2009-BE-BX-K030 by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance. Points of view or opinions expressed in this work are those of the author/guests/moderators, and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
2This project was supported by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance. Points of view or opinions expressed in this podcast are those of guests and moderators, and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
3This project was supported by Grant No. 2010-DJ-BX-K047 awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance. Points of view or opinions expressed in this podcast are those of guests and moderators, and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
4This project was supported by Grant No. 2015-RU-BX-K001 awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics. Points of view or opinions expressed in this webinar are those of guests and moderators, and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.