Forensic data recovery training held for local law enforcement at STC Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence
Texas Border Business
McAllen, TEXAS – South Texas College held a one of a kind certification training for law enforcement officers seeking to use cell phone records and cell phone forensic technologies for investigation.
STC hosted the PATCtech Cell Phone Technology & Forensic Data Recovery Certification (CTF) course for local law enforcement at its Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence (RCPSE) Nov. 4-8. The training was provided for law enforcement officers, detectives, private investigators, SIU’s and computer specialists to leverage cutting edge technology for use in the field.
Instructor for the class was Glenn Bard, a retired Pennsylvania State Trooper First Class and U.S. Veteran of Operation Desert Storm who began working in Computer Crime Investigations for the PA State Police in 1999.
Bard has investigated crimes across the United States ranging from Child Pornography to Criminal Homicide, and has conducted forensic examinations for city, state and federal Law Enforcement Agencies including the FBI, US Postal Inspectors, and I.C.E. as well as foreign governments.
“What we are doing is going over evidence that we can obtain using cellphones, whether that is an examination of the device itself including text messages or call history or pictures or even the information we can get from the networks,” Bard said. “We examine these and put it all together to try and make a really strong case using both types of evidence from the network or the device itself.”
The four and a half day training module included discourse on cell phone technology for criminal investigators designed to expose attendees to proficient and effective investigations utilizing available databases and cellular usage records.
The other portion of the class was dedicated to forensic cell phone data recovery meant to familiarize law enforcement officers and investigators with various cell phone technologies, as well as the practical techniques used in forensic recovery of data stored in cell phones.
“This is very important knowledge we are gaining because it helps us to keep up with the latest technology when it comes to cellphones and how to retrieve that technology,” said STC police officer Julia Cruz, who was among the law enforcement in attendance at the training. “I can see myself applying these techniques for many of the cases we get when it comes to us searching through data on a cellphone using this software to gain the information we need while we’re in the field.”
STC’s RCPSE provides training for local, county, state and federal professionals in law enforcement, public safety, fire science and homeland security along the US/Mexico border.
Continuous opportunities for professional growth and access to training serves to strengthen public safety and benefit those who make public service a career. STC is dedicated to providing excellence in educational programs and accessibility to a diverse population.
