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The Electronic Crime Unit of the St. Joseph Police Department was formed in the spring of 2000, the first such unit in Northwest Missouri. The ECU has a total of five members who staff the unit on a part-time basis. The ECU is responsible for the processing of electronic evidence with respect to computers, mobile phones, and video surveillance.
The ECU occupies 619 sq. feet of operating space in the newly constructed St. Joseph Police Department (2006). Access to the ECU is restricted to ECU members only. Of the five members, three have training in computer forensics, four are trained in video forensics, and two are trained for mobile forensics.
The ECU is basically divided into three separate forensic operations:
- Computers and related digital evidence
- Mobile phones and PDA’s
- Videos both analog and digital
The ECU has continued to grow each year since inception. Evidence is processed for a wide variety of cases. The majority of cases submitted for forensic examination are from the St. Joseph Police Department, however nearby agencies also submit cases. In addition, the ECU lends support to agencies making the request for assistance. A sample of historical cases thru the ECU includes; murder, robbery, burglary, theft, embezzlement, child pornography, harassment, and stalking, to name a few.
As our world evolves around new technology, so does the ECU. The ECU must remain technically sound with training as well as equipment. The ECU is yet another tool of the St. Joseph Police Department for which the citizen’s of this community can be proud.
Additional resources:
To report internet crimes: www.IC3.gov IC3 accepts online Internet crime complaints from either the person who believes they were defrauded or from a third party to the complainant.
The Congressionally mandated CyberTipline is a reporting mechanism for cases of child sexual exploitation including child pornography, online enticement of children for sex acts, molestation of children outside the family, sex tourism of children, child victims of prostitution, and unsolicited obscene material sent to a child. Reports may be made 24-hours per day, 7 days per week online at www.cybertipline.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678.
Internet Safety Websites
Safe Websites for Children
