Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Team up to Train Computer Forensic Investigators

Every year for the past 14 years, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has worked to fill a growing demand for computer forensic investigators by training ICE officers and special agents on the ins-and-outs of computer forensics.

ICE offers the computer forensic investigating class twice a year at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Charleston, S.C., with help from the U.S. Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service. Twenty-four students attend each of the six-week-long sessions.

The course focuses on Basic Computer Evidence Recovery Training and Post Computer Evidence Recovery Training. Part of the session is taught by Hewlett Packard employees who teach the students about computer software and hardware. The remainder of the session is devoted to the basics of conducting a computer forensic investigation, including how to examine a computer, find evidence and write a comprehensible investigation.

Every year, instructors get together after the classes to determine what adjustments need to be made to keep the classes current and up-to-date. 

“It’s ever changing,” said Matthew Swenson of the Computer Forensic Unit. “Each year, we try and take into account and implement things that are relevant.” 

ICE currently employs 250 computer forensic agents throughout the country and attaché offices worldwide.