Police improve speed of electronic forensic investigations

Category: Computer Forensics

31 August, 2012

Five forces around the UK have managed to improve the speed of their computer forensic investigations as part of a National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) pilot .

The aim was to standardise the electronic forensics process across all forces, where previously techniques had varied.

Forces in Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, East Midlands and Leicestershire worked together to create a consistent approach, prioritising their workload.

Factors that determined authority included the threat posed by an offender, risk to the victim and the seriousness of the crime.

NPIA head of police science and forensics Simon Bramble explained: "The pilot has been a great success helping forces increase the amount of electronic devices examined and significantly reducing the time it takes to do this."

The pilot has also been welcomed by the Association of Chief Police Officers. The organisation's lead on eForensics, deputy chief constable Paul Crowther said the project had "dramatically" reduced the amount of time taken to examine each device.

This has had wider implications for case loads and use of resources in an area where criminals are using increasingly sophisticated methods.

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