UW Tacoma partners with Tacoma Police Department to teach mobile digital forensics

TACOMA, WASH. — The Institute of Technology at the University of Washington Tacoma, in collaboration with the Tacoma Police Department, will offer a three-course sequence in mobile digital forensics beginning January 2015.

In today’s society, mobile devices play a dynamic role in augmenting people’s lives. The digital impression left on these devices by the user can provide insight into specific personal, unique data that may be linked to criminal or civil violations. The Mobile Digital Forensics courses offered as electives in the Information Technology degree program build on students’ programming and computer architecture knowledge through hands-on labs. The courses are designed for students to understand the forensic tools and utilities required to search for and locate deleted text, dates, images and other stored user data. The sequence ends with a series of case studies (some will be from actual open cases of crimes in the community) in which students craft a solution to the forensic challenges presented.

Tacoma PD Detective John Bair, who will teach the sequence of courses, says, “Those tasked with locating data from cellular phones are conducting many of their cell phone forensic exams through operating-system-based tools and utilities. But what if the artifacts can only be discovered through a more fundamental analysis?” By providing students with actual criminal case examples and applications of forensic methodologies used and challenged in court, they will understand the complex search techniques needed to discover evidence related to past criminal cases. This background will serve as the foundation needed for internships with the Tacoma PD and employment in forensics labs throughout the state and nation.

Mobile digital forensics is an emerging field that develops and applies techniques for extracting digital evidence from a mobile device under forensically sound conditions. In the context of rapidly changing technology, prosecutors and detectives face increased scrutiny on digital evidence procedures such as establishing relevance and chain of custody. The new coursework in mobile digital forensics will emphasize the importance of scrupulous care and the use of data collection techniques that have withstood court challenges.

Police Chief Don Ramsdell and Investigation Bureau Assistant Chief Kathy McAlpine both support the relationship between the Tacoma Police Department and UW Tacoma’s Institute of Technology. “We share a mutual interest in the development of digital forensic capabilities and techniques. To that end, we are partnering to enhance educational offerings at UW Tacoma and exploring other opportunities to pursue mutually beneficial educational and real world improvements in the field of forensic analysis as it relates to mobile devices,” said McAlpine.

Institute Director Rob Friedman sees the partnership as yet another instance of UW Tacoma’s engagement with the city and region to advance information assurance and cyber security. “We’re always seeking industry expertise that enhances our applied research and instruction. Detective Bair is one of only a few people in the country certified and experienced in this space – another distinction for Tacoma.”