South Carolina -- State Forensics

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act:

### Background ###

Law enforcement often make use of mobile phone forensics tools. These can be used to extract data from a seized smartphone, such as contact lists, photos, messages and more. Some devices can also be used to bypass the lock or PIN code on phones.

My request is in relation to all mobile phone forensics tools, including hardware, such as devices provided by a company called Cellebrite, and software, such as analysis programs sold by COMPELSON Labs.

### Request ###

I hereby request the following records:

Records regarding the acquisition, maintenance, upgrade and subscription costs of mobile phone forensics software and/or hardware, including invoices, purchases orders, contracts, loan agreements, procurement documents (but not limited to solicitation documents or notices of proposed contracts, proposed bids, unsolicited proposals, and/or documents justifying contracting without full and open competition), correspondence with companies providing the software and/or hardware (including, but not limited to Cellebrite, IP-Box, Kessler, and COMPELSON Labs), and similar documents, from January 1st 2010 to the date of this request.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In order to help to determine my status to assess fees, you should know that I am journalist writing for Motherboard, VICE's technology and science site, and that this request is being made as part of news gathering.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 15 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Joseph Cox

Hi,

Thank you for the response. May I ask, when the South Carolina Highway Patrol obtains a phone that it needs to take data from, what agency does it send the device to? I ask so I can better direct my request to another agency.

Thank you,

Hi,

Understood. Please could you specify what those agencies are? It would be great to be able to send my request to other agencies that are better suited to respond to it.

Thank you,