The OPP has recently introduced the position of a Digital Forensics Officer (DFO) as part of its Commercial Crime and Anti-Corruption Unit (CCACU). This is the first of its kind. The position was created to strengthen the capacity of the CCACU collect and analyse digital evidence, and in that way augment the traditional types of evidence. The process of digital evidence gathering is guided by a series of protocols to ensure its integrity and admissibility in court.
The DFO will assist pioneer the DF domain from scratch. To this end, a number of strategies will be firmly embedded to ensure quality and credible products at the back-end that measure satisfactorily against international industry standards. The strategies include relevant policies, best practice guidelines in published manuals, DF investigation and analysis protocols, and DF expert witness practice directions.
The DFO roles include the safe collection of physical digital evidence, preserving the integrity of that evidence throughout the chain of custody, acquisition of copies of forensic evidence, the analysis of information that contain data evidence, data analytics to screen complaints, compiling prosecution evidence in various trial evidence formats, preparing and presenting of digital evidence during court proceedings and giving evidence as an expert witness.