As cyber security continues to grow and be understood as a threat, police training in cyber matters is growing alongside it.
Police Scotland recently announced that it will open a new cyber security Centre of Excellence, dedicated to training officers in fighting and preventing cybercrime. The training will cover many aspects of online criminal activity, from fraud and harassment to the sharing of indecent images.
Deputy chief constable Malcolm Graham said:
‘The nature of crime is changing and Police Scotland needs to change with it. The online space is becoming a bigger part of the front line of policing every day. These officers may not be visible. They may not be patrolling in cars, but the work they do is just as important, and the threats they are dealing with are on the rise.’
Following the appointment earlier this year of Detective Superintendent Nick Bell as the National Policing Director for the Cyber Resilience Centre network, this new Centre of Excellence shows the continuing efforts of law enforcement agencies in improving and deepening their relationship with the cyber sector.
With cybercrime rising exponentially year on year (it nearly tripled between 2018 and 2019, according to a recent Policing Performance report by Police Scotland), increased training and investment in cyber knowledge and skills within policing is a key factor in both fighting and preventing cybercrime, now and in the future.
You can read more about the announcement here.