Recognizing Digital Evidence for Patrol Officers

Patrol officers are often the first point of contact with today’s most valuable evidence: the digital footprints left behind on scenes, devices, vehicles, and networks. This course gives frontline officers the practical knowledge they need to recognize, preserve, and protect digital evidence before it’s lost, altered, or overwritten.

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Officers learn how to identify common—and often overlooked—digital artifacts during calls for service, crashes, investigations, and everyday patrol encounters. The course covers scene response & safety, recognition of potential evidence, and best practices for seizing evidence and preserving data.  We will address smartphones, computers, smart-home devices, wearables, vehicle systems, cloud-connected services, and scene-based digital hazards such as always-listening devices, hidden cameras, and automation-triggered booby traps.  We will also address incidental digital evidence—items you weren’t searching for but encounter during normal patrol duties.

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Through real-world examples and clear, actionable guidance, attendees gain the confidence to secure digital evidence safely, avoid common mistakes, and support successful downstream forensic examinations. This class empowers patrol to make informed decisions on the street that preserve truth, protect victims, and strengthen investigations from the very first contact.