Grassley, Feinstein Bill Will Continue Digital Evidence Training Efforts for Law Enforcement Nationwide

WASHINGTON – Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today introduced legislation to reauthorize the National Computer Forensics Institute, which provides training to state and local law enforcement agencies. The National Computer Forensics Institute Reauthorization Act of 2022 builds on the Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act of 2017, which established the NCFI and was authored by Grassley and Feinstein.

 

“Technology helps us stay better connected, more organized and even more productive. But it can also prove helpful in solving crimes. Law enforcement has long used techniques like fingerprinting to crack cases. Now, digital forensics is becoming more critical than ever in uncovering evidence that can help solve crimes and bring perpetrators to justice. Since 2008, more than 18,000 people have been trained at the National Computer Forensic Institute to do just that, and 68% of those have been trained in the last five years. It’s clear that the legislation that we sponsored in 2017 has enabled the institute to do a lot of good, and our bill will help it continue to do so,” Grassley said.

 

“Since the National Computer Forensics Institute was first authorized in 2017, law enforcement around the country have benefitted from the training, techniques and skills that it offers. Our bipartisan bill would ensure NCFI can continue and expand its operations so American law enforcement has the best digital forensics training possible,” Feinstein said.

The NCFI has trained law enforcement officers, prosecutors and judges from more than 2,000 state and local agencies across the United States, including nearly 30 in Iowa. Grassley and Feinstein are long-time, influential members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

 

The legislation is cosponsored by Sens. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).

 

Text of the National Computer Forensics Institute Reauthorization Act of 2022 is available HERE.

 

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