Meet Elisha Morley

Our team is quite small, with just over twenty people in the department. That includes technicians like me, examiners who analyse computer data, technical managers and police officers who have transferred into the unit.

Even though I often work on devices independently, it’s still very much a team environment. If someone is stuck, there’s usually another colleague who can offer advice or suggest a different approach.

It’s also helpful having people with different backgrounds. Some team members were previously police officers, while others joined from technical careers. That mix of experience means we can learn from each other.

One of my favourite tools is the forensic software we use to extract data from devices. The software runs on special computers that include something called a write blocker. A write blocker stops data from being written to the device, which means we can safely collect information without changing the evidence.

Once the device is connected, the software scans it and tries to unlock and extract the data. If everything works properly, the software can create a full file extraction – which means it copies every piece of data from the device so we can analyse it.

One of my favourite hobbies is ice hockey. I love going to watch the Nottingham Panthers play and following the sport. I’ve also started learning to skate myself, although I’m still at the stage where I’m trying not to fall over too much. It’s challenging but really fun.

When I was younger, I spent many years doing martial arts. My sister and I started when I was seven and trained for almost twelve years. At one point, I even worked at the martial arts club while still training there.

These days my hobbies are more relaxed, but I still enjoy getting out and doing things with friends.

One of the most exciting things for me is when everything works perfectly on a difficult device. Sometimes we receive phones or computers that are badly damaged or locked. When we manage to repair them enough to connect to our tools and successfully extract the data, it feels like a big achievement.

Occasionally I’ll see a case I worked on appear in the news and it’s a great feeling knowing that my work played a role in that investigation.

A lot of people imagine digital forensics as instant and easy, like it looks on television. In reality, it can take a lot of time and patience. Devices are becoming more advanced all the time, with stronger encryption and more complicated software. That means extracting data can be very challenging.

Sometimes a device arrives completely broken and we have to attempt small repairs just to connect to it. Other times we run processes that take hours or even days to complete. So although it’s very technical, the job also involves a lot of persistence and careful work.

I’m currently finishing my Level 4 Digital Forensics Technician apprenticeship, which should be completed soon. For now, I want to continue building my experience in the digital forensics unit and keep developing my technical skills.

Technology changes very quickly, so there is always something new to learn.

Don't put too much pressure on yourself to have everything figured out. When I was younger, I worried a lot about making the perfect choices and having a clear plan. But life doesn’t always work like that.

It’s OK to try different paths and change direction. There are so many opportunities out there, and sometimes you only discover the right one after exploring a few options first.