Lehigh County Officials Dedicate Digital Forensics Crime Lab At DeSales

A once non-descript basement area in DeSales University’s Dooling Hall has been transformed into a state-of-the-art digital laboratory that will not only give Lehigh County law enforcement better crime-solving ability, but also honors one of its fallen officers.

In front of a packed house, Lehigh County officials and members of law enforcement agencies gathered Thursday to dedicate the David M. Petzold Digital Forensics Laboratory of Lehigh County at the university’s Center Valley campus.

The digital laboratory honors fallen Upper Saucon Township officer David M. Petzold. He was struck and killed by a van on Route 309 in 2006, as he tried to remove a deer carcass from the roadway.

Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin, along with county officials, DeSales University faculty and members of Petzold’s family, officially dedicated the laboratory.

“This is the first countywide lab of its kind in Pennsylvania,” Martin said. “It’s a great advance for the people of Lehigh County who live and work here. Skilled police officers will comprise a digital crime task force.”

The lab, scheduled to begin operation this year, will be staffed by 10 police officers from Upper Saucon, South Whitehall, Lower Milford, Salisbury, Emmaus, Slatington, Allentown, Bethlehem, Coopersburg and Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Departments who will be sworn in as detectives.

Martin noted that a larger percentage of crime investigation now deals with analyzing electronic devices including cell phones, hard drive computers, laptop computers and gaming devices that possess Internet connectivity.

Previously, digital forensic lab work from Lehigh County was performed by one of the Pennsylvania State Police’s computer crime force lab, which was shared by nine other counties.

Funding for the lab poured in from various sources, most notably the Officer David Petzold Memorial Foundation, which raised $64,000 for the project.

“As Dave’s widow, I know he would be proud," said Jessica Petzel-Slawter. "He knew first-hand how badly this was needed. We know how much it would have meant to him to give back to the community that he loved.”

Upper Saucon Township Police Chief Robert Coyle was on hand too for the dedication.

“I cannot think of a more fitting tribute to the memory of Dave than the naming of this lab in his honor," he said. " I had the privilege of watching Dave’s professional growth from a patrol officer to becoming, through his hard work and dedication, the first detective in the department’s history.” 

The Lehigh County Board of Commissioners and county Executive Don Cunningham allocated $31,250, matching the $31,250 in non-drug forfeiture funds from the District Attorney’s office.

DeSales University donated the space, labor and materials and will not charge fees for electrical use and maintenance. University officials are hopeful the lab can be used for internships in its criminal justice degree programs.

Detectives will staff the lab Monday through Friday during regular business hours, but Martin noted that a detective would be on call evenings, weekends and holidays.

The lab itself is a plethora of state-of-the-art equipment. Detectives will uncover forensic digital information from crime scenes and suspects utilizing the lab’s hardware to extract cell phone records, deleted text messages, e-mail, address books – just about anything can retrace a suspect’s electronic tracks.

Upper Saucon Township police officer Joseph Pochron, the lab’s initial commanding officer, said three layers of security, including motion detection systems, are in place to prevent breaches.

“We’ll be able to extract the data uses a variety of different devices. The 10 officers assigned have training in this field, but additional training will be ongoing,” Pochron said. “It’s an ever-changing field and it’s immeasurable to have a facility like this.”

Detectives will make copies of hard drives as well as keep originals, which will be secured. Digital copies will be made for backup and another kept for court evidence.

Staff will also be able to enhance recordings from audio-visual equipment, including surveillance cameras mounted in establishments and on streets.

Martin said the lab would be limited to Lehigh County cases for now, but hopes that it will expand into a regional facility.