Rep. John Ratcliffe's Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act of 2017 is now a law.
The law, which was signed Thursday by President Donald Trump, provides state and local law enforcement with the tools and training they need to combat cybercrime and protect communities.
"I'd like to thank President Trump for his strong support of my bill to ensure our state and local law enforcement officials are properly equipped to address and prosecute crimes in the 21st century, because we're now in an era where almost every case involves some sort of digital evidence," Ratcliffe, R-Texas, said in a prepared statement.
"At the end of the day, getting the upper hand against cyber criminals will make our nation safer."
The law authorizes the National Computer Forensics Institute in Hoover, Ala., until fiscal year 2022. The NCFI is widely recognized as the premier cybercrime training center for law enforcement officials from across the country.
Chief Criminal Investigator Cody Sartor with the Cass County Prosecuting Attorney's office recently returned from training at NCFI.
"This program has directly affected me and Cass County positively. We are seeing its immediate effects unfold daily," Sartor said.
The program helps investigators quickly obtain information from digital devices, Sartor said.
The NCFI has trained close to 7,000 city and county officials from all 50 states and three U.S. territories. Its graduates represent more than 2,000 agencies nationwide, including multiple agencies in Texas' 4th District.