In two years, Neumann University students have helped solve nearly 1,000 crimes. And they’re just getting started.
The N.I.T.E. Center, short for Neumann Investigative Technology Excellence Center, marked its second anniversary this spring, and the numbers tell a striking story.
Since opening in May 2024, the center has assisted with 988 cases across 64 police departments and agencies, including 424 digital forensic investigations and 528 real-time crime incidents.
But the statistics only scratch the surface of what’s happening inside.
Working under the leadership of Aston Township Detective Joe Walsh, 37 student analysts have contributed to active investigations alongside seasoned law enforcement professionals with cases ranging from homicides and missing persons to thefts and burglaries.
The partnership with the Aston Township Police Department and other regional agencies gives students access to real cases, real stakes, and real results.
“The work of law enforcement professionals is being enhanced by the work of the team here at Neumann,” said University President Dr. Chris Everett Domes.
What started as a cybercrime and digital forensics operation quickly grew into something broader.
Today, student analysts can monitor situations in real time, feeding live information to officers in the field, reviewing surveillance footage, analyzing cell phones and computers, tracking suspects through camera networks, and supporting cryptocurrency and social media investigations.
In several cases, suspects were identified and arrested within hours, thanks in part to student-led analysis that many departments simply wouldn’t have had the resources to conduct on their own.
Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse put it plainly at the anniversary celebration
“What you guys are doing is helping solve crimes in real time, but it is giving you the skills from here to build upon to be the crime solving entities of the future,” said Rouse.
The N.I.T.E. Center’s first two years are just the beginning. Click through to read the full story in the Daily Times and find out how Neumann University students are helping solve real crimes in real time.
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