Australian Federal Police cybercrime fighting efforts are being hampered by the number of officers that are deployed over seas right now. This is bad news in the ongoing fight to stop child pornography, hackers, identity theft, phishing and other online crimes. With the officers manpower and attention diverted, they lose what footholds they had gained in the world of ones and zeros.
“These deployments represent a diversion to roles that are different to what officers had been doing,” Jim Toor, CEO of the Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA), told popular tech site ZDNet Australia.
Why does a large number of AFP officers being deployed elsewhere cause such a setback in the ongoing fight against cybercrime? Mainly because of the speed at which technology changes and grows. When the average computer is already obsolete by the time it hits the shelves and virus software updates daily, it is nearly impossible to keep up with all of the ramifications for cybercrime. You have to have a constant online vigilance in order to really stay on top of it, and even with full manpower that can be an uphill battle.
The other issue that the AFP faces is losing officers to the private sector. It is difficult to resist the siren song of more money, and the kind of technological proficiency required to fight cybercrime has an enormous value for private businesses looking to defeat hackers and handle other issues. It is quite common for officers to leave the law and go private for more money.
Another way the resources of the AFP are being strained is in demand within the ranks of law enforcement. Other branches of the law are finding a need for technology and the need for officers that understand technology to fight crimes off line as well. This adds to the heavy burden of the AFP and makes fighting online crime even harder.
The Minister of Home Affairs had their spokesperson reassure the public that they were committed to backing the AFP. If that is the case, the overworked agency can expect more funding and more officers in the coming months, which should ease their burden on crime fighting and stem the hemorrhaging of staff to the private sector somewhat. In the meantime, educate your self and your circle of friends and family on how to protect yourself and your children in this new cyber world, and be proactive in preventing crimes against your person through knowledge.
