Cyber: Keep the light on - An inspection of the police response to cyber-dependent crime

Published on: 24 October 2019

Publication types: Cyber

Police Forces: Avon and Somerset, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, City of London, Cleveland, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon and Cornwall, Dorset, Durham, Dyfed-Powys, Essex, Gloucestershire, Greater Manchester, Gwent, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Humberside, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Metropolitan, National Crime Agency, Norfolk, North Wales, North Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Northumbria, Nottinghamshire, South Wales, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Sussex, Thames Valley, Warwickshire, West Mercia, West Midlands, West Yorkshire and Wiltshire

In early 2019, the Home Secretary commissioned HMICFRS to inspect the effectiveness and efficiency of the police response to cyber-dependent crime.

To do this, we assessed whether:

law enforcement has a well-designed strategy for tackling cyber-dependent crime;
organisational structures provide the necessary capacity, capabilities and partnerships;
victims of cyber-dependent crime receive a high-quality response; and
staff at local and national levels are provided with appropriate learning opportunities to deal with cyber-dependent crime.

The inspection took place between April and June 2019 in the following 10 forces, in addition to 3 law enforcement agencies and 9 regional organised crime units:

Greater Manchester Police
Hampshire Constabulary
Hertfordshire Constabulary
Humberside Police
Lincolnshire Police
The Metropolitan Police Service
Northumbria Police
South Wales Police
Warwickshire Police
Wiltshire Police

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Cyber: Keep the light on – An inspection of the police response to cyber-dependent crime (PDF document, 997 kB)

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Police response to cyber-dependent crime is generally good, but it can be inconsistent, finds Inspectorate

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Lincolnshire PCC’s response

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