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TO: Mayor John Laesch
FROM: Lt. Tom McNamara
Administrative Services Lieutenant, Aurora Police Department
DATE: June 16, 2025
SUBJECT:
Construction of Digital Forensic Room at APD.
PURPOSE:
To renovate existing space in the APD Investigations Unit to support a Digital Forensic Program workspace at a cost not to exceed $312,503.02.
BACKGROUND:
Digital forensics is crucial for law enforcement due to the increasing reliance on devices and online activity to plan and commit crimes. The Aurora Police Department has seen explosive growth in the number of cases involving some nexus to digital technology. Digital forensics provides law enforcement with the tools and techniques necessary to collect, analyze, and preserve evidence during the investigation and prosecution of crimes. The complicated process of extracting and presenting digital data in a way prosecutors, judges, and juries can understand requires specialized equipment and training.
APD currently employs one full-time civilian digital forensics investigator and is currently in the hiring process for a second full-time civilian digital forensics investigator. APD plans to request a full-time civilian digital forensics analyst position in the upcoming 2026 budget process. Currently, the specialized equipment required for these tasks is housed in a cramped, makeshift forensics lab, located in a crudely converted storage closet within the secured Investigations Unit.
A viable solution for needed space and growth was identified in a seldom-used conference room located in the Investigations Unit. The room offers approximately three times the space as the currently used storage closet. The area offers restricted access and will provide an acceptable workspace for the tasks performed by the digital forensics investigator and analyst.
The City retained Kluber Architects + Engineers to create plans for the room renovation. This engineering fee was borne by the City's Central Services Department. A...
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