New cyber crimes unit coming to Knox County

Current building.

Law enforcement agencies in knox county are also looking to get an upgrade.

At 5 we explained a new cyber crimes unit will help secure evidence digitally.

News 10 bureau chief gary brian tells us how the program will also include students at vincennes university.

Gar} "in just a few months knox county will have it's own cyber crimes unit.

Once its up and rolling it'll be only the third program like it in the united states."

It may seem pretty obvious.

If there is evidence on a phone or computer...it needs to be investigated.

But that process can be slow.

"typically that has to go to the fbi or the indiana state police and that's where everybody sends their stuff.

So there is a big backlog."

The cyber crimes unit hopes to fix that problem.

A grant for over one hundred thousand dollars is getting the program off the ground.

It'll include a partnership between the sheriff's office, vincennes police, and vincennes university police.

"we've got space dedicated to to this unit now in the vincennes city police department.

Which is kind of centrally located here in the county."

The crimes unit will focus on electronic and digital evidence.

What sets it apart is the partnership with vincennes university.

Select students will work hand in hand with law enforcement on the cases.

"they're not being sworn in as police officers and they're not going to be carrying weapons and going to crime scenes and things like that.

But they're still going to be handling sensative material and sometimes confidential material and evidence that's going to be really crucial to some investigations."

The opportunity will help students learn.

All while giving law enforcement a new tool to fight crime.

"almost every police officer that has been at it for any time at all has some old case in the back of their mind where they just, they know that somebody did it, but they haven't been able to solve it.

This type of evidence is something that's new that can be used to solve some of those old cases."

Gar} "the cyber crimes unit is expected to be fully operational by february first 2021.

Working from home in vincennes, gary brian news 10."

Today marks the beginning