It’s investigations like the Whitesville homicide case that propelled the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office to apply for a cybersecurity grant from the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security. If awarded, the grant will allow DCSO to upgrade their software so that detectives are able to access and investigate technology involved in these cases at a more efficient pace.
DCSO Chief Deputy Barry Smith said DCSO is filing for a $43,286 non-matching grant that will give the Sheriff’s Office more access at a faster speed when investigating technological components of investigations, such as phones and computers that may hold crucial information and evidence.
“The grant is for training, hardware, software, for technology that will [assist us with] phones, computer software, hardware that we need in investigations,” Smith said. “As an example, this investigation we’re working right now will rely heavily on some of the software we have, but it’s time that we upgrade so it’s not so time-consuming.”
Smith said that with the constant changes in technology as it relates to phones, computers, tablets and other devices, it’s paramount that law enforcement is utilized with the latest software and hardware.
“This enables investigators to utilize ways to recover, dissect and store digital evidence,” he said. “It has played a role in this case as it has in many cases in the past, and as it will in the future.”
Fiscal Court approved DCSO’s cybersecurity grant application last week, and county commissioners praised DCSO for their investigative efforts in the double homicide.
“You guys have been working extremely long hours on the unfortunate tragedy that occurred in the county,” said Daviess County Judge-Executive Al Mattingly at last week’s Fiscal Court meeting. “That was really a tough job, considering you couldn’t release the name, you couldn’t release a picture — your hands were almost tied, so I just want to say congratulations.”
