TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Oscar Ortiz, Sheriff-Coroner
REPORT BY: Rollie Soria, Sheriff's Administrative Manager
SUBJECT: Cash Donation and Budget Amendment for Investigative Tool
RECOMMENDATION
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Accept a cash donation from Operation Underground Railroad and approve a Budget Amendment to purchase the investigative software license GrayKey from Magnet Forensics to support forensic examinations of mobile digital devices, specifically for human trafficking cases. (Fiscal Impact: $30,498 Expense; $15,249 Revenue; Sheriff Asset Forfeiture Fund and General Fund; Not Budgeted; Discretionary)
[4/5 vote required]
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BACKGROUND
In criminal investigations, forensic examinations of mobile digital devices are often needed. This is especially true in complex criminal investigations of human trafficking. To solve these and other cases involving mobile devices, law enforcement personnel must collect and analyze evidence that may be stored on the device. In the last ten years, mobile device manufacturers have encrypted the data on mobile devices if a pass or pin code has been set. Users are prompted to set a pass or pin code on new mobile devices, so most devices are locked. In today's rapidly evolving technology driven world, that critical information is often impossible to access without the pass or pin code to the device or a mobile device lock bypass tool.
For the past several years, the Sheriff's Office has relied on the Northern California Computer Crimes Task Force (NC3TF) for access to a mobile device lock bypass tool. Between their caseload and a change in the NC3TF mission, that resource is now less available to Sheriff's Office investigators. The Sheriff's Office has also been able to use a bypass tool located at the Napa Police Department (NPD). Both options are dependent on the availability and access to the bypass tool of the allied agencies. The reliance on allied agency's bypass tool can delay investigations for days and even months. Fas...
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