SARPY County introduces a new program to improve computer investigations, prevention

Omaha, Neb. (Wowt) – A new program aims to better protect SARPY residents from the continuous threat of computer crime.

Three local organizations team to not only take the culprits and support the victims, but also to stop the online offenses to happen first.

Sarpy County Sheriff’s office collaborates with the family service of Nebraska-Omaha and Heartland to create a community response team. It will be financed by a subsidy of $ 500,000 from the Justice Department.

“Indeed, a lot of crime we deal with, if we withdraw our layers, we have a cyber component. It is a problem between us to identify that this is a real proof that exists and to know how to keep it and get it in a solid way we can present in court later as evidence, ”said Lt. Kyle Percifield with the Sarpy County Sheriff’s investigation division.

The money will be used to help the sheriff’s office to purchase an improved technology for processing digital evidence, creating cyber training for applying the law, educating the public on cyber prevention and supporting victims of computer crime.

Lt. Percifield has declared in the last decade, his team has almost tripled the number of devices processed in investigations. He hopes that the new partnership will offer his team more resources to address the rapid threat of computer crime.

“If he were one of the members of your family, he was the victim of this, you would like something done. I am in a position, my unit is in a position, where we can do something in this regard, ”said Lt. Percifield.

Dr. Kerry Ward, UNO associate professor in information systems and quantitative analyzes, is one of the experts who will develop digital forensic training. Before entering the higher education, Dr. Ward was a police officer.

“The officers must be aware of when there is a cyber component in a crime and if there is one, how to answer. In particular, how to maintain the custody chain of any forensic evidence, ”said Dr. Ward.

Also, UNO will help develop and administer community education to teach people how to avoid falling the victim of computer crime and, if they do, what actions can take.

“The goals are number one, help people be aware of these warning signs when they are handled. And two, you understand that, although it can be embarrassing, it happens and happens very smart people, ”said Dr. Ward.

The subsidy will also allow the Heartland family service to provide five free counseling sessions for computer crime victims, plus continuous care resources if needed.

“People feel very vulnerable, they feel very lonely, they tend to isolate themselves, they are embarrassed and they have no place to return. So, we hope that, through this subsidy, we can offer these services and start advising them, back to healing, ”said Jenny Stewart with Heartland Family Service.

HFS can also provide immediate care for anyone who is experiencing a mental health crisis at New crisis stabilization and resource center in papillion.

“They can come voluntarily, they can be around people to support them, to help them with some skills to cope and to offer only a few additional resources,” said Stewart, who is the director of the Crisis Center.

The subsidy will pay the program for three years. Lt. Percifield said that, against the background of the financing of the federal government, DOJ assured them that their subsidy money is safe.

Sheriff Greg London said that their relationships with both organizations are invaluable.

“This validates what we do with our partners from all over the region. With UNO, this is our second big project that we worked with. The Heartland family service, we have been with them since 2008 and make us only more efficient to serve the community, ”said Sheriff London.

Also, HFS is a partner with the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office for a co-response program, where deputies can request an authorized mental health therapist to help them call for a mental health crisis.

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