Summary of Implementation – Laboratory Information Management System
PD Evidence LLC is honored to have been competitively selected by San Diego County for Southern California’s Computer and Technology Crime High-Tech Task Force (“CATCH”). The PDEVIDENCE Laboratory Information Management System will be used by this multi-agency law enforcement task force to further automate their operations. Individuals using technology to commit crimes in southern California, from child exploitation to fraud and data breaches, are likely to find themselves on the receiving end of CATCH operations and investigations. Combining the training and experience of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies from San Diego, Riverside, and Imperial counties, CATCH provides the latest in digital forensics and investigative services.
Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) technologies, including EC2 Virtual Servers, SES E-Mail Services, and S3 Storage, among others, provide a scalable, automated, and efficient solution that addresses all of the challenges, both initially and subsequently, identified by CATCH. Specifically, software licensing is no longer a concern because the LIMS operates entirely from a web browser. This also gives CATCH the advantage of operating their LIMS from any authorized location, rather that from only a single location. Second, secure and scalable virtualized servers on AWS GovCloud create the infrastructure. A cloud based solution has been particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic while human resources are decentralized. Finally, digital storage on S3 eliminates the need to project hard drive storage requirements in advance of a budget cycle.
Results from CATCH’s digital forensics analyses are recorded directly within LIMS in real-time, taking the place of legacy forms and handwritten notes. Reporting is standardized team-wide using automatic report creation templates and the review and approval process is integrated within LIMS. Investigators receive the results of an analysis immediately upon completion of the CATCH quality assurance process.
