RPD Honored with Magnet Forensics Agency Impact Award

The Rochester Police Department (RPD) maintains one of the most advanced local agency forensic environments in the Upper Midwest and was recently recognized for its commitment to innovation – one of the department’s core values. 

RPD received a 2026 Magnet Forensics Agency Impact Award, an honor recognizing agencies that demonstrate exceptional dedication to protecting their communities, advancing digital forensic capabilities and leveraging innovative solutions to deliver justice.

Magnet Forensics News Release
Video Highlighting RPD

RPD’s investment in digital forensics began in 2018 with the adoption of tools from Magnet Forensics to recover, analyze and report on digital evidence, including technology capable of lawfully acquiring data from encrypted mobile devices. As technology became increasingly central to nearly every investigation, RPD expanded its capabilities. In 2025, RPD launched a major modernization effort through its Technology Forensic Unit (TFU), implementing additional platforms that streamline investigative workflows and provide secure, cloud-based data storage.

This work aligns with broader efforts to strengthen how law enforcement manages digital evidence. Federal initiatives, including legislation proposed by Senator Amy Klobuchar, have focused on improving collaboration between law enforcement and cloud service providers to securely store and manage evidence, particularly in cases involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Today, digital evidence is a cornerstone of modern policing, and these tools are used daily by RPD. Utilizing the latest technologies, detectives can analyze evidence in near real time, reducing turnaround from days or weeks to hours. This speed is critical in violent crimes and active public safety threats, where timely access to digital evidence can directly impact outcomes.

RPD’s commitment to innovation and use of these advancements keeps RPD at the forefront of modern policing, enabling faster, more effective investigations that strengthen public safety.