High Tech Crime Unit in Discovery Park hosts attorney general of Indiana, mayors, law enforcement officials

The High Tech Crime Unit (HCTU), a collaborative network of law enforcement agencies specializing in digital forensics, hosted an open house on Thursday (May 11). The initiative welcomed high-ranking local and state government officials and members of the law enforcement community and Purdue University to the digital forensics lab, located in Purdue’s Discovery Park.

Since 2010, in Tippecanoe County, digital forensic evidence has been used to obtain convictions in cases of murder; child molestation, exploitation, and pornography; rape; robbery; drug dealing; terrorist threats; burglary; stalking; and operating a vehicle while intoxicated resulting in death. The HTCU has secured evidence used to obtain convictions in federal courts and regularly partners with federal law enforcement and the U.S. District Attorney’s Office.

“The HTCU is one of only three units of its kind in the U.S. that partners with a university. This partnership allows for the use of cutting-edge forensic technology to assist in investigations,” says Pat Harrington, Tippecanoe County prosecutor. “The accomplishments of the HTCU exemplify the high standards of our Tippecanoe County law enforcement community.”

After receiving the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute’s Justice Assistance Grant in 2015 for $70,000, Purdue provided a centralized location on campus for the High Tech Crime Unit at Discovery Park, where it is an affiliated center. Now, all of the unit's digital forensic examiners, as well as the digital forensics equipment, are in a centralized location that streamlines collaboration with Purdue’s cyberforensics program.

Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, chief scientist and executive director of Discovery Park, says, “We are happy to host the HCTU in Discovery Park and thrilled to be able to help contribute to such important work in the community.”

The HCTU includes the Lafayette Police Department, West Lafayette Police Department, Purdue University Police Department, Tippecanoe County Prosecutor’s Office, Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Department, the Tippecanoe County Community Corrections, the Tippecanoe County Probation Office, and Purdue’s cyberforensics program.

The open house was held to thank Purdue and the University administrators for supporting the agencies' work and the initiative.

Television coverage of the event is available from Channel 18 News, WLFI.

Writer: Amy Schlueter, aschlue@purdue.edu, 765-496-7823
Source: Kate Seigfried-Spellar, kspellar@purdue.edu, 765-494-2439