SouthwestAlabamaLawEnforcementAcademy

@ BaldwinCounty Sheriff’s OfficeTrainingCenter

15950 Mosley Road

Stapleton, Al 36578

(251) 937-1840

Cyber Crime and Digital Evidence

For Law Enforcement

March 26 – 27, 2009

The SouthwestAlabamaLawEnforcementAcademy and the Baldwin Co. Sheriff’s Office will host a twoday course on Cyber Crime & Digital Evidence for Law Enforcement. This course will be held on March 26 – 27, 2009 at the Baldwin Co. Sheriff’s OfficeTrainingCenter located at 15950 Mosley Road, Stapleton, AL 36578. Class will be from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. The cost of this course is $30.00. Bring laptop if available, but not necessary.

To some degree, computers and digital devices are in every criminal case. Drug deals are set up via text messaging, murderers often leave an internet footprint that demonstrates intent, financial fraud is detected by emails and children are abused and exploited by predators using technology. Law enforcement must stay ahead of these trends in criminal investigations.

This is a two day course that will provide the attendee with a solid understanding of digital evidence, cell phone forensics, and cyber crime. Students will be trained in how to recognize and properly seize digital evidence. Topics covered will be:

  1. Being a first responder. (How to collect the device)
  2. Recognition of potential digital evidence.
  3. How computers are used in criminal activity.
  4. Cell phone and communication forensics.
  5. Why digital evidence should always be considered in an investigation.
  6. An overview of the computer forensic process.
  7. Email, IP addresses, and the legal process.
  8. Understanding the digital forensic report.
  9. Social networks. (MySpace and Facebook)
  10. Cyber crime and the child predator.
  11. Financial cyber crime recognition.
  12. Search and seizing the evidence, a legal primer.

No specific computer training is required. Anyone with a basic understanding of sending an email or typing a Word document will be able to complete this course.

The classes are part of the mission of the Alabama Computer Forensic Laboratories (ACFL), The ACFL are a series of state wide laboratories which are federally funded and managed by the Alabama District Attorneys Association. The ACFL are designed to work closely with the U.S. Secret Service, FBI, U. S.Marshall Service and all state and local law enforcement agencies to seize, and forensically examine digital evidence and ultimately support their successful prosecution. Senator Richard Shelby and the District Attorneys of Alabama were instrumental in the creation of these laboratories.

Mike Trotter and Ray Kilburn of the Alabama Computer Forensic Laboratories (ACFL) and BarryMatson, Chief Prosecutor for the ACFL will be the presenters.

Mike Trotter is a career law enforcement officer who has risen from the ranks of the Montgomery Police Department. He runs the Central Alabama ACFL where he partners with the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Marshall Service. He has investigated every manner of criminal activity before becoming a computer forensic expert. He has been certified through the U.S. Secret Service as a forensic examiner and is currently serving as faculty at the National Computer Forensic Institute. Mike is a certified instructor in many areas of law enforcement. Mike regularly assists in the investigation of local, state, and federal crimes. He has testified as an expert in state and federal court on many occasions. Mike is on the cutting edge of computer and digital forensics in Alabama and the U.S. Ray Kilburn, will also be an instructor in this course. Ray is also a career law enforcement officer and is a certified computer forensic examiner. Ray is retired for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office as an investigator. He is a graduate of the National Computer Forensic Institute. Both of these men are seasoned law enforcement with exceptional technical skills and exceptional teaching credentials.

Barry Matson is Chief High Technology Crime Prosecutor for the Alabama District Attorneys Association (ADAA) and the Alabama Computer Forensic Laboratories, (ACFL). He is also the Chief Resource Training Prosecutor as well having numerous other duties with the Office of Prosecution Services, (OPS) in MontgomeryAlabama. He is a career prosecutor with more that 18 years experience in the courtroom. He served as the Chief Deputy District Attorney in Talladega County, Alabama for nearly 16 years where he was a full-time circuit court trial prosecutor. Barry managed a multi jurisdiction drug and violent crime task force (including DEA). Barry has, both locally and nationally, taught law enforcement, prosecutors and judges in many areas of investigation, litigation and jurisprudence. He has worked with and prosecuted cases for Public Safety, ABI and ABC. He has investigated and prosecuted cases with and for the FBI, DEA, and the U.S. Marshall Service. He is a founding partner and faculty member at the National Computer Forensic Institute, (NCFI) which is a partnership between the ADAA, the U. S. Secret Service, Homeland Security, and the State of Alabama. The NCFI goal is to train the next generation of law enforcement, prosecutors and judges in the areas of computer crime and child exploitation. He is an alumnus of the National College of District Attorneys (NCDA), the National Child Advocacy Center, National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA), American Prosecutor’s Research Institute, (APRI) The National Advocacy Center, (NAC) and the NationalCenter for Missing and Exploited Children, (NCMEC). Barry has presented testimony before the U. S. Senate as to the nature and dangers of child pornography, abuse and exploitation. He has likewise been published in Alabama and as well as in national publications.

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