Lakeville Police Seek Cyber Crime Investigation Upgrade

When Lakeville police detectives were investigating the city’s last homicide case in 2008 they were forced to send a Blackberry device related to the crime to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for analysis. That move not only delayed the investigation, but added additional expense for taxpayers as the RCMP technicians that processed the Blackberry had to be flown in to testify.

With the rapid progression of technology and electronic devices becoming ubiquitous in our everyday lives, the Lakeville Police Department is hoping to launch their own cyber crime investigative capabilities with a $12,000 investment from the . The money is proposed to come as a capital outlay through the city’s liquor fund.

“Nearly all of the crimes we investigate now involve some element of cyber technology,” says Lakeville Police Chief Thomas Vanhof. “Literally every crime we face involves some element of this.”

Electronic devices such as phones and computers can be a fountain of information for investigators trying to solve crimes. The recent case involving is the latest example.

Investigators were able to use information stored in his computer to find hotel reservations in California and used that to alert authorities out there that he may be in the area. in the same coastal area his computer pointed to and has since been extradited back to Minnesota.

Cross’s computer was given high priority, as are most high-profile cases, and was able to be processed by an external lab fairly quickly to find the useful information. But Vonhof says quick processing is usually not the norm and investigators are sometimes hindered by processing times that may take up to a year or more.

“To get that information in a timely manner, we really have to have our people do it,” said Vonhof. “We already have someone that can pick up the forensic portion of cyber-crimes investigations.”

Vonhof says they just need the equipment.

The $12,390 request the city council is considering would cover a specialized tower, training and other equipment the department would need to process electronic devices internally. Detective Russ Helmueller, an 18-year police veteran who has been with the Lakeville department since 1997, would head up the forensic efforts if the request is approved.

“Each year, computer-related and internet-related crimes increase, especially with social media,” says Helmueller. “Lakeville per capita has such a high number of internet users, plus a high number of people under 18, that Lakeville is a very computer-literate city. We need to be proactive instead of reactive.”

Helmueller says that “almost 100 percent” of crimes in the city can be aided in prosecution through the analysis of phone and computer records. The dedicated forensic machine would be able to analyze data contained on suspect devices even if files or records were deleted.

Helmueller also pointed to a recent cyber-stalking and identity theft case as an example of internet crimes that are on the uptick and says that the equipment could also place the department in a better position to protect Lakeville’s youth from predators and cyber-bullying that may go unreported. Helmueller spent four years logging, tracking and investigating the cyber-stalking case which resulted in a successful prosecution and a sentence of a year in jail and 40 years of probation for the defendant in that case.

“We’re working toward being more proactive especially when it comes to the enticement and exploitation of children online,” says Helmueller. “The machine will allow us to do our own processing and be more efficient with getting at the information.”

That, says Helmueller, could help speed up investigations and cut down on the sometimes lengthy amount of time before suspects are actually charged.

Helmueller has a lengthy background in computers and technology. The detective has long built and repaired computers on the side and has continually kept up on technology advancements through schooling and training.

partners with the National White Collar Crime Center and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Helmueller’s ongoing training is being funded by the U.S. Justice Department in conjunction with those programs.

A stand-alone computer tower is needed not only to provide specialized capabilities, but also to preserve the integrity of the evidentiary information, Vonhof says.

“The information we retrieve has to be able to stand up to scrutiny in court,” says Vonhof. “We have to show an entire audit from the time the computer or device is turned on. It’s (the forensic computer) a specialized piece of equipment.”

“Technology changes every year and you have to continually go to school,” says Helmueller. “With the explosion in technology, this is something we should already be doing.”

Helmueller says internet users and social media posters should be careful what they reveal online to better protect themselves from criminals.

“People say when they’re leaving their home and post all kinds of information criminals can use,” says Helmueller. “Their whole life is open to the world and many people don’t realize it. It’s easy for criminals to commit crimes using the web and misrepresent themselves to children.”

If the Lakeville Police Department is able to get the equipment, Helmueller is hoping some of those crimes will become less inviting for criminals.