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Federal LECFTF Funding for Purchase of Paraben Device Seizure Software (B)
This item requests that the Public Safety Committee appropriate and expend an amount not to exceed $2,500.00 from the Federal Law Enforcement Contraband Forfeiture Fund for the purchase of Paraben Device Seizure Software.
Explanation
The ever increasing use of portable data devices for everyday use and/or criminal activity has placed Law Enforcement behind the technology curve once again. The need for a forensic tool that analyzes and retrieves data from a cell phone or a Personal Data Assistant has presently become a necessity of utmost importance to Law Enforcement. The Paraben Device Seizure Software is a comprehensive tool for forensic acquisition, analysis and reporting handheld device data from cell phones and Personal Data Assistants. The software manages full data dumps in a forensically sound manner where the data is not corrupted by accident or intentionally. The software recovers data via a data cable, Bluetooth and IrDA technologies. The software supports hundreds of cell phone and PDA models. Paraben can also add support from manufacturers for unsupported devices. Paraben is a leader in handheld digital forensics and used by Law Enforcement Agencies worldwide.
The Public Safety Committee discussed this funding at its August 16, 2007 meeting and agreed the purchase should include special cables necessary to run this software and a multi-year contract to provide updates to the software. The Committee approved the funding for this item to proceed to the City Commission.
Fiscal Note
Funds will be appropriated in an amount not to exceed $2,500. Funds for this project are available in the Federal Law Enforcement Contraband Forfeiture Trust Fund and is allowable per Federal 21 U.S.C.ยง 881, found in the U.S. Department of Justice "A Guide to Equitable Sharing of Federally Forfeited Property for State and Local Enforcement Agencies." Available balance is $1,122,434.00.
Recommendation
The Public Safety Committee recommends that the City Commission authorize the appropriation of an amount not to exceed $2,500 from the Federal Law Enforcement Contraband Forfeiture Trust Fund for the purchase of the Paraben Device Seizure Software.