Lake County Prosecutor, Purdue Northwest New High Tech Crime Unit Partnership
The Lake County Prosecutor’s office, in partnership with Purdue University Northwest (PNW), celebrated the beginnings of their cooperation through a state-funded High Tech Crime Unit (HTCU) during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 25.
Under the supervision of the prosecutor’s office, the HTCU will provide significant assistance in the investigation and prosecution of criminal acts committed through various digital devices. The unit will assist law enforcement agencies and prosecutors’ offices in Lake and Porter counties. The HTCU will be housed on PNW’s Hammond campus and partner with its existing Center for Crime and Forensics. "We are so grateful and excited about this opportunity to partner with Purdue Northwest," said Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter. “This partnership with have a tremendous impact on the criminal justice system, as we work in tandem with Purdue Northwest students to extract crucial evidence for prosecution.”
“It is central to the mission of Purdue University Northwest as a metropolitan university to grow its partnerships with community stakeholders and make Northwest Indiana a prime Midwestern hub,” said PNW Chancellor Thomas L. Keon. “The High Tech Crime Unit at Purdue Northwest is a win-win for the prosecutor’s office and the university. Lake and Porter counties have an important resource to support their law enforcement agencies, and the operations get to be enhanced by the high-quality multidisciplinary resources offered by Purdue Northwest.”
Modern Tools to Prosecute Crime
The HTCU at PNW will develop specialized operations and process digital evidence from computers, cameras, laptops, tablets, cell phones and other electronic devices to reduce turnaround time for evidence collection. Work at the HTCU is expected to assist in investigations of financial and violent crimes.
The HTCU helps meet a modern turn in the prevalence of increased electronic device use by perpetrators, and the subsequent “digital fingerprints” and evidence trail that can be left behind. From instant messaging to global positioning system (GPS) data, law enforcement officials and digital forensics experts are leveraging new technology pieces to solve and build solid cases for the prosecution of criminal acts.
Two full-time Lake County Prosecutor’s office members will staff the HTCU and process digital evidence submitted by local law enforcement agencies in Lake and Porter counties. The HTCU is also stationed by PNW’s Center for Crime and Forensics to offer seamless sharing of resources and subject-area expertise. The Center for Crime and Forensics provides education, training, research and development, and forensic science testing services to academia, law enforcement and legal communities alike. Its aim is to promote the advancement of science while improving the resources needed to ensure public safety at the local, state and federal levels.
PNW has two full-time forensics faculty members with over 30 years of combined experience in crime lab management, including building and operating multidiscipline forensic testing facilities. PNW students in pertinent disciplines are also expected to have opportunities to contribute at the HTCU as deputized workers that can help process evidence and testify in criminal prosecution.
Law Enforcement Partners
The following police departments in Lake County that have partnered Lake County Prosecutor’s Office in reference to the Lake County High Technology Crime Unit (LCHTCU). We, as a team, recognize the value of digital evidence due to the increased use of electronic devices and social media. The data obtained from digital sources provides valuable, unbiased information to an investigation and for this reason we believe the LCHTCU will be an invaluable tool in assisting with cyber related criminal investigations.
