UK Police chiefs plan cybercrime squads (about time)

By James Boxell, Home Affairs Correspondent
Published: June 23 2009 23:30

FT.com

Police forces plan to set up regional “cybercrime” squads similar to those that deal with anti-terror operations, as senior officers seek to counter criticism they are not doing enough to combat the 3m annual cases of online crime.

The plans – “actively pursued” by the Association of Chief Police Officers – emphasise fears the police are being left behind by sophisticated gangs of online criminals with access to the latest technology and large sums of money. UK figures on cybercrime are patchy, but officials estimate online fraud is worth more than £50bn a year worldwide.












Hackers have recently attacked important services in the UK as well as businesses. Three London hospitals have come under attack and one police force outside London had its system shut down for five days.

Cyber-security has moved up the policy agenda, with this week’s “national security strategy” expected to include the formation of a cyber-centre and a new Cabinet Office unit.

The specialist regional police squads are an important part of the chief officers’ national “e-crime strategy”, although the initiative has yet to be ratified by the association’s senior members. It includes plans to train all “mainstream” police officers in how to deal with complaints of cybercrime.

The new approach is an admission by senior officers that they have failed so far to come up with a coherent means to tackle online criminals. Efforts are hampered by a lack of co-ordination between forces and a lack of expertise among officers.

“It has been an ad hoc and piecemeal approach,” said one senior officer. “There is a lack of knowledge, particularly among detectives.”

The strategy is to be driven by Janet Williams, head of intelligence and covert policing at the Metropolitan Police, who has also taken the lead on Scotland Yard’s e-crime unit.

Ms Williams has openly questioned the unit’s modest budget, but the formation of regional squads could help to share some of the burden. Police forces have set up similar counter-terror squads to pool expert resources in Leeds, Birmingham and Manchester, with Thames Valley to join soon.

The cybercrime squads would also take their lead from the Met’s e-crime unit – again mirroring the counter-terror approach, of which Scotland Yard is in charge nationally.

The strategy highlights the importance of police relations with business. The e-crime unit has already established a “virtual taskforce” with the finance industry, including banks and payment services companies.





Banks have been in the vanguard of combating online fraud, with some success, but senior police officers said that financial companies were showing reluctance to share information because of concerns over commercial confidentiality.

“They need to rethink that,” one officer said.

Ms Williams’ team seeks to set up similar task forces with retailers and property companies, which have also suffered from the cybercrime boom.

Catherine Bowen, head of crime policy at the British Retail Consortium, said online crime was now one of the biggest issues facing retailers.

She said that a UK-wide approach had been put in place by the National Fraud Office – but she hoped the regional squads and nationwide training of officers would “provide the missing link”.