International officers to see child abuse tracking technology

Royal Malaysian Police will be heading to Devon this week to investigate how local police use technology to track child abuse offenders.

Nine officers are visiting Devon and Cornwall Police today (25 March) to witness how the High Tech Crime Unit utilise triage techniques and forensically examine computers for child abuse images.

In 2007 the Force was one of the first police forces in the UK to introduce computer triage tools. It has since been hailed as best practice by the Home Office.

Triage software enables the High Tech Crime Unit to quickly and forensically scan seized computers and storage devices for signs of suspect images and videos. It can detect the electronic trail when an offender has tried to hide their material and internet history.

The time-saving technology quickly determines which devices need further examination by the investigation team and which ones to discount.

Royal Malaysian Police has recently introduced triage and officers will be visiting the High Tech Crime Unit on a fact-finding mission to see how a UK force is using and benefiting from the system.

The contingent will include representatives from the International force’s equivalent of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary.

Steve Slater, Forensic Examination Manager at the High Tech Crime Unit, said: “We were ahead of our time when we introduced ADF Triage and SPEKTOR Triage and it has benefited us enormously.

“It has reduced the workload on the team by 60 to 70 per cent. Importantly, it enables us to really concentrate on examining those computers and devices containing a history of viewing or storing images of child abuse.

“Our colleagues from Royal Malaysian Police will be visiting us to look at our processes and how we use the system to assess evidence. We are looking forward to seeing them, we are always keen to share best practice with other police forces and build international friendships.”