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Leveraging Call Detail Records for Criminal Investigations

Presume you are given call detail records from three phone companies, spanning two crime scene locations including five cell towers. A day later, you are given social media data from a popular social media account and the GPS locations (spanning 30 days) for a vehicle connected to your investigation.

How do you put it all together? Are there limits to combining these data? Is there a local resource within your agency to help you? How can you be sure the data you put into a software program is not being saved by a vendor? Do you already feel overwhelmed? Did you mentally put the files into the back section of a case binder and tell yourself that you will go through them … ‘later’?

If you said “yes” to “later”, this course is for you. After completing this course, you will jump at the opportunity to go through hundreds of thousands of lines of data, all with ease, excitement, and anticipation knowing there is a very good chance a viable suspect is contained within.

This course is designed for law enforcement investigators who encounter cell phone call detail records and cell tower downloads in connection to criminal cases. This course is software agnostic and provides attendees with the skills necessary to understand cellular records independently without reliance on third party vendor specific cell analysis software.

Note: This course is a pathway course to becoming a CDR Subject Matter Expert.

Course Details

  • Recommended Experience: High comfort level with moderate to advanced Windows computer use. Experience obtaining Call Detail Records or Cell Tower Downloads via court order within the last year.
  • Prerequisites: Familiarity with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access. Understanding of basic mathematics.
  • Technology Requirements: Windows laptop required (personal or agency-issued). Devices not provided by host agency.
  • Duration: 40 Hours (5 Days)
  • Method: In Person
  • Restrictions: Restricted to active and credentialed criminal justice employees in Full or Light Duty status.
  • Disclosures: None
  • Fee: Free of charge
  • Cancellation Policy: Minimum 50% seat fill required 72 hours before course start or instructor may cancel.

Student Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, students will be able to discuss, evaluate, and apply the following concepts and tools:

  • Fundamentals of a Subject Matter Expert
  • Standards in terminology
  • Data Science Processes
  • Cell Phone Connectivity Fundamentals
    • Tower coverage theory vs. reality
    • Azimuths, sector coverage, and transmission types
  • Communications ethics in postmodern investigations
  • Understanding the delta between raw data and mapping
  • Maintaining a professional Curriculum Vitae
  • Exploring CDR types: 4G VoLTE, RTT, AluLTE, IP Sessions
  • Spotting Cell Site info, Time/Date conversions, Timing Advance
  • Cell Tower downloads
  • Excel-based practicals on 100,000+ CDRs
  • Combining CDR data with tower data across providers
  • Creating investigative visuals: top callers, common numbers, etc.
  • Legal and ethical considerations in CDR analysis
  • Understanding and avoiding Type I and Type II Errors
  • Mock Trial: cross-examination simulation