New
Mobile ‘Phone-Shield’ Set to Improve Police Prosecution Rates
A
new mobile phone faraday bag called the ‘Phone-Shield’, launched
this week by Tamworth-based Disklabs, is set to increase the ability of
the police to successfully and cost-effectively prosecute in cases where
mobile phone data comprises an essential element of evidence.
The new Phone-Shield has been designed by Disklabs to ensure that data
on a suspect’s mobile phone can be investigated without that data
being compromised when the phone connects to its relevant network. Disklabs
used ACPO’s guidance on mobile phone seizure and examination as the
blueprint for their design, and extensive subsequent testing has been
successful in proving that the Phone-Shield successfully keeps suspects’
mobile phones secure from any incoming communications from the networks
at the point of police capture, irrespective of the type of phone, frequency
or network.
Not having the mobile phone switched on safeguards against network interference
and ‘tainting’ but it also means that critical time and date
stamps cannot be verified, leading to evidence captured being questioned
in court. However, the ‘Faraday’ window on the Phone-Shield
allows the police examiner to view the phone in a ‘Faraday’
condition, thus enabling an ‘immediate preview of evidence’.
Simon Steggles, MD of Disklabs, believes Phone-Shield will save police
forces several hundred thousand pounds by transforming both the initial
arrest process and subsequent prosecution approach.
Simon explained: 'Mobile phones are becoming increasingly associated with
a number of street crimes, particularly violent crime involving several
people or gangs where at least one person is tempted to video the crime
on their mobile phone. In this scenario the traditional police approach
would involve the entire group being taken to the police station and bailed
whilst mobile phone evidence was examined.
'Using the new Phone-Shield, a police officer can place each suspect’s
phone in a Faraday bag and search for any incriminating evidence without
fear of it being compromised by connection to any network. Using the new
Phone Shield however the process is transformed and the number of phones
requiring expensive examination is drastically reduced, thus saving potentially
hundreds of thousands of pounds per police force across a year. Furthermore,
the reduction in unnecessary mobile phone investigations ensures that
crimes are investigated considerably faster. In addition, the prospects
for successful prosecution are increased because defending counsel will
be less able to argue that mobile phone evidence has been tainted during
examination through connection to a network.'
Disklabs believe that the new Phone Shied will speed up investigation
times, and will save up to 80% of all mobile phones from needing an examination
which would generally result in no relevant data found. In addition, suspects
would not be able to hinder investigation by PIN or PUK locking their
phone.
The Phone-Shield is re-usable and inexpensive, with purchase costs easily
recovered by the use of the Shield for just a single examination, and
of course by the fact that a much more expensive Faraday Cage will no
longer be needed.
Web: http://www.disklabs.com