Law enforcement follows proper protocols for managing digital evidence and how the data is used in criminal proceedings. Digital evidence is admissible in court, and law enforcement agencies must find the best practices for collecting data and securing it until it’s time to go to court. Here are some of the protocols these agencies use for managing digital evidence.
Maintain Control Over All Copies of the Data
Law enforcement officers are required to maintain control over all copies of data from their investigations. Digital evidence must meet IT standards, and the storage centers must block all unauthorized use of the information. Cloud storage is available for digital evidence, but all agencies must conform to the same data encryption and security practices used by the FBI. High-grade encryption is necessary to prevent data loss or corruption. The best practices for digital evidence management start with full control over the data and devices where it is stored.
Use Scalable Storage for the Data
Storage for digital evidence must be scalable, and service providers must scale the storage with little warning. There isn’t a limit on how much digital evidence comes from one case, and the storage options must expand to accommodate high data volumes and secure the evidence extracted from varying electronic devices. Investigations are unpredictable, and officers could extract data from anything from smartphones to complex data systems. Upon arrival at their agency, the officers need to upload the data and categorize it quickly. Digital evidence management helps with these requirements.
Integrating All Data Sources
The agencies must integrate data from all sources, and officers wear body cameras that collect digital evidence throughout their shifts. The data must be extracted from these cameras and sent to the centralized data system based on which investigation the officers manage. The service providers can create a system for data collection and indexing to make evidence easier to find during the investigation.
Seamless Migration of Data For Each Case
Seamless migration of the data for each case helps investigators upload new information into the same case files without sending them to the wrong space. The data centers require user accounts for investigators to access the data and case files. Once all data is acquired from all sources, investigators can build their case against the perpetrator and eliminate reasonable doubt in criminal cases.
Digital Tracking for Chain of Custody
Since all the evidence is digital and uploaded on the server, it’s easier for the agency to track the chain of custody digitally and find out if any unauthorized parties viewed the data. It’s vital for the criminal case to know everything involved in the investigation and know when any parties used or viewed the data. A violation of the chain of custody could lead to problems when presenting the case to the court.
Law enforcement agencies collect evidence through digital forensics practices and must follow protocols for securing and protecting the data during their investigations. By implementing better practices, law enforcement agencies can improve investigations and reduce data loss or corruption.
