S.C. Opens Nation’s First Cyber Crime Center
The Columbia, S.C.-based Computer Crime Center, the first of its kind in the nation, will focus on forensic examination of evidence related to computer-based crimes, such as Internet fraud, child exploitation, computer intrusions, child pornography, denial-of-service, and various telecommunications crimes.
The FBI and Secret Service will staff the center, thus providing local law enforcement officers with subpoena power, federal prosecution of cases, and expertise in electronic investigation.
The center, paid for by a $5.6 million federal grant, will also work with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the U.S. Customs Service, and the Postal Service, high-tech firms, utilities, and financial institutions are encouraged to participate as well. Similar facilities in Los Angeles and Minneapolis are pending
South Carolina sheriffs and police chiefs will be able to tap into the center’s tools and resources, while the facility’s investigative team will make digital evidence recovery tools available to local law enforcement.
“Our law enforcement is top-notch at catching traditional criminals, but the atmosphere has changed, and the worst elements of society are now using computers and other high tech equipment to perpetrate crimes,” explained Sen. Fritz Hollings (D-S.C.). “We must confront the high-tech criminals with new tools of our own, new working relationships, and a new way of doing business.”
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center(NLECTC) from dc.internet.com (12/27/02); Mark, Roy . http://dc.internet.com/news/article.php/1561811
