Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent calls for national policing response to cyber crime

A national report from HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has been published following an inspection of how the police and the National Crime Agency deal with the current and future threat presented by cyber dependent crime.

The report praised current good practice but also calls for the UK Government to develop a national policing response to cyber dependent crime.

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PCC Jeff Cuthbert agreed with the report's recommendations, as although Gwent Police have expanded their Cyber Crimes Unit, the issue is "simply too big" for any one police force to tackle.

“I welcome the HMICFRS’s recommendation to government to develop a national policing response to cyber dependent crime," he said.

“Here in Gwent we are increasing our resilience to tackle this growing crime type.

“Gwent Police’s dedicated Financial Investigations and Cyber Crime Unit has expanded and now also includes a dedicated Cyber CSO, and Cyber Protect Officer, to deliver online safety and security advice to our communities.

“However, the international scale of cyber crime is simply too big for any one police force to tackle on their own.

"We already work closely with other forces, partners and the Welsh and UK Governments, but a more coherent, joined approach is needed to safeguard against this threat to our national security.”