Cybercop

A force of 80 specialist investigators is to be recruited as part of a UK£25 million programme to combat cybercrime, including “paedophilia, fraud, extortion and hacking”, Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, announced in mid-November. He said that the investment would support the Government’s objective of “making the UK the best and safest place in the world to conduct and engage in e-commerce.” 40 of the officers will be based at a new National Hi-Tech Crime Unit at the headquarters of the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) in London and the rest will serve in local forces. The unit will start work in April 2001. Bob Packham, Deputy Director General of the National Crime Squad, noted that it is a multi-agency partnership which involves representatives of the National Crime Squad, the National Intelligence Service, HM Customs and Excise and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). The IT industry and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have also contributed expertise. The Government has also committed UK£25 million to investment in a National Technical Assistance Centre which will process lawfully intercepted electronic communications.