Brazoria County Sheriff’s Department

What was the problem we were trying to solve?

Before implementing NIMBUS solution, the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Digital Forensics Lab lacked a formal system to manage and track the growing volume of digital evidence and casework. The lab initially relied on a basic Excel spreadsheet, which was later migrated to an Access database in an attempt to improve record-keeping. However, both tools proved inefficient and inadequate for the complexity of modern forensic workflows.

These legacy methods introduced several key challenges:

Limited visibility:
No real-time insight into case or item status; updates relied on manual communication.

Manual data entry:
Time-consuming updates reduced time available for actual casework.

Poor tracking:
Inability to follow items through all stages of processing led to delays or missed evidence.

Lack of oversight:
No consistent way to monitor workload, performance, or process adherence.

Risk of missed evidence:
Skipped items could remain unnoticed until late-stage reviews.

These challenges highlighted the urgent need for a dedicated case and evidence management system that could provide structure, oversight, and transparency. The existing approach simply could not scale with the growing demands on the lab or provide the reliability required for high-stakes forensic work.

NIMBUS Investigation Platform

Faced with growing case volumes and limited tracking tools, the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Digital Forensics Lab recognised the need for a dedicated case management system to improve visibility, streamline workflows, and support operational demands.

Without structured tracking, monitoring case progression and updating stakeholders was difficult. The lack of a historical audit trail also made it hard to assess performance or demonstrate workload.

After evaluating potential solutions, the lab selected the NIMBUS platform, an integrated case, evidence, and quality management system specifically designed for digital forensic environments. The decision was influenced in part by an existing collaboration between NIMBUS and another vendor already in use by the lab. During the evaluation, NIMBUS stood out by offering critical features right “out of the box” that aligned with the lab’s immediate needs.

The lab use NIMBUS for its robust features, including:

Full case and item tracking across all processing stages

Customisable fields to support evolving workflows

Seamless integration with existing lab processes

Scalable design for multi-agency use

The team has since implemented their own customisations and continues to explore new enhancements to further streamline operations. With NIMBUS, the lab now has a powerful foundation for managing its forensic workload with greater structure, accuracy, and insight.

Reduced risk whilst maintaining high-quality forensic practices, even as case volumes increase and external demands grow.

Since adopting NIMBUS, the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Digital Forensics Lab has significantly improved how it manages digital evidence. The platform has streamlined operations, enhanced visibility, and provided leadership with actionable insights into lab performance and trends.

Key benefits include:

Real-time tracking:
Full visibility into case and item status reduces delays and improves communication with stakeholders.

Detailed historical reporting:
The lab now tracks data by examiner, device type (e.g., iOS vs. Android), OS, and case volume—plus flags unsupported devices for follow-up.

Flexible customisation:
The team can easily add tracking fields as needs evolve, ensuring the system stays aligned with lab requirements.

Improved oversight and accountability:
Reports and Excel exports provide management with clear summaries of workload, progress, and productivity.

Efficient handling of unsupported devices:
Items are tagged for follow-up and reprocessed as software updates expand compatibility—ensuring no evidence is missed.

Overall, the implementation of NIMBUS has allowed the Brazoria County Digital Forensics Lab to scale its operations, reduce risk, and maintain consistent, high-quality forensic practices, even as case volumes increase and external demands grow. The system continues to be an integral part of the lab’s evolving strategy for digital evidence management.