Traditional forensics put names to a fingerprint but modern digital forensics reveals identities, motives, intentions and more. Such is the infallibility of 1s and 0s and the ubiquity of digital devices, that it has become a crucial pillar of modern investigations.

Mike Duffey, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), has a front-row seat to the digital revolution. “Today’s crime scene is not just a phone, it’s a thermostat, smart bed or car infotainment system. Everything’s more connected and they have data on them,” Duffey says. “In fact, 100% of the cases I’ve seen have a digital component.”

Digital forensics and its associative technologies are changing the playbook in ways that go beyond just facilitating investigations. Think about building public trust, painting full pictures and protecting officers and investigators.

The CyberCrime Office within FDLE

The Cybercrime Office in the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Cyber Bureau traces its origins back to the late 1990s when the Florida legislature recognized the burgeoning need for digital evidence expertise and established a first-of-its-kind team to investigate cybercrimes state-wide. Initially focused on computers, the center’s scope expanded to a myriad of connected digital devices. This growth led to the establishment of dedicated laboratories in Tallahassee and Tampa.

Agent Duffey says, “Over the years, we’ve kind of grown as more technology becomes more pervasive and become a part of every investigation.” The increasing role of technology in investigations has prompted the Cybercrime Office to continuously evolve to meet the rising demand for digital expertise.

The FDLE Cybercrime Office equips its laboratories with an array of solutions to support its mission including many of the solutions that are part of Cellebrite Inseyets and Cellebrite Pathfinder.

Bridging Public Trust, Increasing Relatability

Digital forensics not only offers the means to unravel intricate cases but also fosters public trust through lawful tools and processes. The evidence leaves no room for ambiguity and leads to

trust. “It helps to educate the public. Educating them on what we do, what we use and how these tools benefit them and us as law enforcement. That’s where the win is,” says Duffey.

As Personnel Services Specialist, Connie Brown says digital investigative solutions wins when it comes to relatability. “Everyone on the jury will probably have their own phone. They relate a lot to digital evidence where it’s harder to make statistics and DNA reports relatable. So when we testify with digital evidence, it’s fairly straightforward. It’s easier to explain data from a phone versus someone’s DNA,” Brown explains.

Adding to Spc. Brown’s point, Intel Analyst Supervisor, David Crain highlights the ability to contextually visualize digital evidence. “These tools allow the investigator to show what the analysis is and what the data shows. And also visual is so much better than words,” Crain says. “So, to be able to show the data points during a case or trial, it allows the investigator to better explain to the jury, judge and prosecutors so they really understand the technical details of the data.”

A Full-Picture Investigation

As crime lab analyst, Jennifer Roeder puts it, “You can’t date and timestamp your DNA but your phones are going to date and timestamp what you do and where you are. What we can do also is show intent and motives—catch people in lies.”

Digital forensics, beyond numbers and codes, helps tell a story. By weaving together the intricate details hidden within digital footprints, investigators can showcase not just the who, what and how but also the when of each case. Sometimes they get lucky and even learn the why.

This ability to build these full pictures imbues investigations with depth and context, equipping law enforcement agencies to comprehend the broader narrative that shapes criminal activities. These insights can be crucial leads in both tracking down suspects and anticipating their next move to prevent further harm.

In more complex cases, the ability to piece together seemingly unrelated data can unmask hidden connections, bringing to light overlooked evidence or even linking multiple crimes to a single perpetrator.

According to Special Agent Edward Vincent, who has been serving in the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) since 2017, being able to prove conspiracy is the “meat and potatoes” in tackling organized crime related to drugs or human trafficking, especially when they do not have direct intelligence on a subject.

“Historical data is how we prove conspiracy, a very broad statute on the federal level. And that’s how they basically put a lot of these bad guys away,” Vincent says.

Protecting the Vulnerable

Digital investigative solutions is also making a marked impact on cases that involve crime against children (ICAC).

“I’ve been heavily involved in the ICAC world for many years and have loved to see any type of innovation that allows us to streamline and rescue kids who are potentially being victimized. Having a system that enables the elimination of knowns and unknowns is an immense help,” Duffey says. “Ultimately, it leads us to discover other victims who either weren’t coming forward or were previously hidden.”

There is also the benefit of AI and automation that emerges as a shield for investigators. As Duffey explains it, “anything that allows those detectives both from a time saving and a mental health perspective is huge because you don’t have an investigator or an analyst sitting there looking at 60,000 images or videos and listening to the audio of what’s occurring. Now you’re able to bypass that and not have to expose yourself to the imagery over and over again.”

By mitigating the psychological toll associated with such investigations, digital intelligence ensures that officers can focus on their mission of protecting the vulnerable without compromising their well-being.

Cellebrite and the solutions provided are so advanced, it allows the investigator to fully complete the case and get all the minutiae details. It gets the evidence that they need and the confidence to effectively close out a case.

Spotlight on Training

“[Training is] invaluable. How to use the tools, how to best make the best use of your time, when you’re doing analytics, and then wrapping all that up with courtroom testimony,” Duffey says. “If you are going to do cases, you are going to need the skillset and training to validate what you just did.”

This also extends to building trust with the jury, as Crain points out. “Think anytime that you interact with the public, during a case where they’re presenting to the prosecutor or the judge or jury. The number of training certificates always makes people feel comfortable. It shows that a person has invested time to learn the processes and tools and has shown that they can use that tool or that process. Very important.”

For officers and investigators, “it’s also about training in best practices on how to properly collect and maintain digital devices collection,” Duffey adds. “For a more effortless and streamlined investigative flow.”

A Center of Collaboration

With a Pathfinder system comprising about 18 to 20 servers, and a substantial 24 Premium endpoints, FDLE is set to not only meet their own needs but also those of their partners, buying into the idea of collaboration as a key to every party’s success.

Indeed, one such collaboration resulted in strong circumstantial evidence for a year-old homicide case that had gone cold. The investigator in charge had the suspect’s cell phone and a search warrant, but faced a challenge uncovering new leads from the data. Vincent and his partner, Vanessa Carmona, assisted by ingesting the data into Pathfinder. Very quickly, they identified relevant insights.

“Have all the information presented where you can see it and you can actually see weird patterns,” Vincent says.

FDLE’s collaboration extends widely. “Any law enforcement entity in the state has this service at their disposal,” Duffey explains. This cooperative approach is built on the principle of assisting agencies that might otherwise lack the resources to afford such technology. A model that underscores the FDLE’s Cybercrime Office commitment to facilitating investigations and enhancing the digital forensics capabilities of law enforcement agencies throughout the state.

The Right Tool Belt

“As technology advances, it’s not just about what the bad guys are using, but also the tools available to the average person on their cell phones or computers,” Crain says. “We need tools that can match the capabilities of the ever-advancing software and navigate the security obstacles present in many modern devices.”

A perpetual cat-and-mouse game, having the most up-to-date and capable solutions in the industry is paramount to keeping up with the evolving state of technology. Evident by their plethora of solutions including those from Cellebrite, FDLE has found marked success in staying ahead of the curve.

“Cellebrite and the tools that it provides is so advanced that it allows the investigator to really, fully complete the case and get all the minutiae details,” Crain says. “It gets the evidence that they need and the confidence to effectively close out a case.”

With society growing ever-connected, digital devices would only serve to be increasingly clearer reflections of who we are. As Mike Duffey so eloquently puts it, “DNA is helpful in identifying who a person might be, but a digital device is going to tell me their life.”

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