b'anywhere,atanytime.Aboveall, this platform should be easy to use andrequireminimaltraining.Any investigator,regardlessoftechnical expertise, should be able to quickly access and understand the evidence, collaborate with colleagues remotely anddevelopreports.Theplatform couldbedeployedonpremises orintheclouddependingonthe preferenceofanagencyandits cloud readiness. Theorganizationsthathave alreadyimplementedelementsof thisstrategywererewardedwith immediate results. For example, the WaterlooRegionalPoliceService empoweredfirstresponderstocol-lect low-risk digital evidence in the field, resulting in 70 per cent of its officers reporting that it was easier to convince witnesses and victims to and precision by using AI and analyticsmay not be enough to address theparticipate in investigations. Another tools. These tools quickly comb throughissue at large. Agencies may simplylargemunicipalagencybasedin millions of data points, automaticallybe transferring the evidence bottle- WashingtonStateintroducedauto-detecting photos, videos and chat logsneck from the processing stage to themation to its digital-forensics lab and pertaining to child sexual exploitation,review stage.was able to turn evidence around to weapons and drugs. They also createinvestigators in under 72 hours while timelines of events and use geo-map- Digital Investigations finding 30 per cent time savings per pingtolinkindividualpiecesofInvestigatorscurrentlyparticipatingcase.LondonsMetropolitanPolice evidence together to develop a betterin digital investigations are doing sorecentlydeployedanewevidence understanding of the crime.inefficiently and in a limited fashion.review platform and expects it will beabletosolvecasesuptothree CanadianprivacycommissionersDigitalevidencereportsaresharedtimes faster. havequestionedwhethersomeAIwith investigators at many agencies technology providers have acted ethic- via physical storage media. In mostThe choices before police leaders ally and legally, particularly regardingcases,thisevidencecanonlybeare clear: they can adapt, invest and facial recognition technology used byaccessed after investigators travel totransformdigitalevidenceintoan police agencies on open-source data.the digital-forensics lab and wait forasset in the pursuit of justice or stay Thisshouldnotdeteragenciesfromaworkstationtobecomeavailable.thecoursewithcurrentprocedures usingAIonlawfullygathereddigitalMaking sense of the digital evidenceand see it become an even greater is complicated because of the com- liability in the years ahead.forensicevidence.Policeleaders mustensurelawfulapplicationsareplex nature of digital-forensic tools. preserved.AgenciesshouldestablishThe work of digital-forensics profes- Jad Saliba is the founder and chief tech-internal policies on the limited use ofsionalsisalsoimpactedastheyrenology officer of Magnet Forensics and a AI applications and work with privacyrequired to give investigators a step- former digital investigator with Waterloo advocates and their governance bodiesby-step explanation of all the criticalRegional Police Service. to develop a definition of acceptableevidence. This results in hours of lostPaul Beesley is an advisor to the use. The volume of digital evidenceproductivity for the investigator, theCanadian Police Knowledge Network will continue to rise, and bans on thesedigital-forensics specialist and, ultim- and the former Chief Superintendent and technologies stemming from perceivedately, the agency.executive lead of the Ontario Provincial misusewillultimatelybeharmfultoInvestigatorswouldbenefitfromPolice Cyber Strategy. the publics safety.workingwithadigitalevidenceJeff Adam is a strategic advisor with While using analytical tools to reviewreview platform that is purpose-builtMicrosoft and the former Assistant digital evidence in the digital-forensicsfortheirneedsandallowsthemCommissioner for technical operations lab can improve case closure rates, ittosecurelyaccessevidencefromwith the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.10 H.Q. Winter 2021/22'