No alternative to boosting police capacity to combat cybercrime: IGP

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Ali Hossain Fakir has said there is no alternative to enhancing the skills and capabilities of police to combat cybercrime.

He made the remarks while addressing on Sunday morning the inaugural ceremony of a ‘Training of Trainers’ (ToT) course on cybercrime case investigation at the Police Staff College in the capital’s Mirpur as the chief guest.

IGP said in the current era of information technology, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, deepfakes, encrypted communication systems and cloud computing have opened up new opportunities while also creating new challenges for law enforcement agencies.

Criminals are misusing technology to commit cyber fraud, online financial crimes, data theft, hacking, online harassment and digital extortion, he added.

He further said “Changing the way we conduct policing is now a necessity to deal with the growing threat of cybercrime,” adding that developing investigative capabilities to handle cybercrime is essential for modern policing.

Addressing the police officers at the training course, the IGP said the course would help them develop not only technical skills but also training and communication skills.

“The knowledge and skills gained through the training must be shared with other investigators. If you effectively train other investigators, the number of police officers capable of investigating cybercrime cases will increase manifold,” he added. 

IGP thanked the Training Wing of Police Headquarters and the authorities of Police Staff College for arranging the timely training. 

He stressed the need for organising such training course regularly and keeping training materials and modules updated.