Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act of 2017

“822. National computer forensics institute

“(a) In general—There is in the Department a National Computer Forensics Institute (in this section referred to as the “Institute”), to be operated by the United States Secret Service. The Institute shall disseminate homeland security information related to the investigation and prevention of cyber and electronic crime and related threats, and educate, train, and equip State, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges.

“(b) Functions—The functions of the Institute shall include the following:

“(1) Educating State, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges on current—

“(A) cyber and electronic crimes and related threats;

“(B) methods for investigating cyber and electronic crime and related threats and conducting computer and mobile device forensic examinations; and

“(C) prosecutorial and judicial challenges related to cyber and electronic crime and related threats, and computer and mobile device forensic examinations.

“(2) Training State, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers to—

“(A) conduct cyber and electronic crime and related threat investigations;

“(B) conduct computer and mobile device forensic examinations; and

“(C) respond to network intrusion incidents.

“(3) Training State, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges on methods to obtain, process, store, and admit digital evidence in court.

“(c) Principles—In carrying out the functions specified in subsection (b), the Institute shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that timely, actionable, and relevant expertise and homeland security information related to cyber and electronic crime and related threats is shared with State, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers and prosecutors.

“(d) Equipment—The Institute may provide State, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers with computer equipment, hardware, software, manuals, and tools necessary to conduct cyber and electronic crime and related threat investigations and computer and mobile device forensic examinations.

“(e) Electronic crime task forces—The Institute shall facilitate the expansion of the network of Electronic Crime Task Forces of the United States Secret Service through the addition of State, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers educated and trained at the Institute.

“(f) Savings provision—All activities and functions carried out by the Institute at any location as of the day before the date of the enactment of this section are authorized to continue to be carried out at any such location on and after such date.”