Rep. John Ratcliffe’s (R-Texas) Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act of 2017 (H.R. 1616) was signed into law in November by President Trump. The law provides state and local law enforcement with the tools and training needed to combat cybercrime. It has been hailed as a major win for law enforcement and for America’s cybersecurity posture, according to a release.
“I’d like to thank President Trump for his strong support of my bill to ensure our state and local law enforcement officials are properly equipped to address and prosecute crimes in the 21st century – because we’re now in an era where almost every case involves some sort of digital evidence,” Ratcliffe said.
“At the end of the day, getting the upper hand against cyber criminals will make our nation safer, and I’m glad that this critical piece of legislation has been signed into law to do just that.”
H.R. 1616 authorizes the National Computer Forensics Institute (NCFI) in Hoover, Ala., which is widely recognized as the premier cybercrime training center for law enforcement officials from across the country.
The NCFI has trained close to 7,000 local officials from all 50 states and three U.S. territories. Its graduates represent more than 2,000 agencies nationwide, including multiple agencies in Texas’ 4th District. Ratcliffe chaired a field hearing in 2016 where an NCFI graduate testified to its enormous impact, and he recently visited the center to engage with its instructors and staff.
