Ten Indiana State University students were sworn in Wednesday as investigators with the Vigo County High-Tech Crime Unit (HTCU) and Cold Case Unit (CCU), continuing a partnership between Indiana State’s School of Criminology and Security Studies and the Vigo County Prosecutor’s Office.
Vigo County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Rob Roberts administered the oath as the students pledged to uphold the U.S. and Indiana constitutions.
“It feels like a dream come true,” said Indiana State sophomore Garrett Miller. “Ever since my senior year of high school, I wanted to come here and I wanted to be in the High-Tech Crime Unit. All of my hard work has paid off.”
As digital forensic investigators, HTCU students help law enforcement recover and review evidence from digital devices for investigations and prosecutions. Students are paid for their work and have limited law enforcement powers while on duty.
“This is a program that gets analyzed throughout the world right now,” Roberts said, noting the professionalism of Indiana State students and the impact they have on investigations.
Cassandra Dodge, assistant professor of Cybercriminology and Security Studies and director of the Vigo County HTCU, said the hands-on experience can transform students’ career plans.
“Having these investigative opportunities in the School of Criminology and Security Studies has been a game-changer for a lot of these students,” Dodge said.
Dr. Jiletta Kubena, professor and director of the School of Criminology and Security Studies, was also sworn in for her involvement with the Jail Intelligence Unit.
New CCU investigators are Brooklyn Rankin, Trinity Tingley and Jenna Clark.
New HTCU investigators are Mackenzie Blanton, Maya Camarena, Cassie Loveless, Garrett Miller, Maylie Skinner, Alex Smith and Ryan Tevlin.
The state-funded High-Tech Crime Unit serves an eight-county jurisdiction in the Wabash Valley, providing Indiana State students with distinctive experiential-learning opportunities while supporting law enforcement investigations throughout the region.