Falk Statement at Tour of Computer Forensics Resources Partnership Project

June 06, 2006
Joanne Haas, Office of the County Executive (608) 267-8823 or cell (608) 669-5606
County Executive

Madison – Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk issued this statement at today’s media tour of the Computer Forensics Shared Resources Partnership Project, where investigators from the county, city and University of Wisconsin-Madison work on computer crime cases in a shared third floor space in the City County Building. “The computer forensics work ongoing in this room is key in the effort to making arrests and building cases to secure convictions in computer-related crimes involving victims of all ages. This is the place where seized computers are brought and the detectives do autopsies of sorts looking for evidence. When I was asked to find space to house this multi-jurisdictional unit involving the county, the city and the University of Wisconsin, it was a no-brainer. The goal here is to provide a shared space with shared equipment to foster professional collaboration to fight computer-related crimes, which are growing nationwide. In addition to providing this work area, I, with the County Board’s support, added in this year’s budget $6,400 for an investigation technology upgrade that these detectives from the city, county and UW may use. This technology is available to any detective in this unit no matter what case or agency is involved. It also means only one set of this valuable equipment was purchased instead of replicating the purchase in other agencies. That’s not all. The Dane County District Attorney made a compelling case that more was needed to battle these crimes. I, again with the County Board’s support, added a new paralegal position, at a $58,000 annual cost, to work on computer-related crimes. The bottom line is the multi-jurisdictional computer forensics work that goes on in this room by these top detectives, assisted by the technology, will help Dane County’s fight to stop crime. And that’s good news for everyone.” # # #