Metro Police Chief Warns that Traditional Gangs Are Adopting E-Crime

While trying to outline the necessity of specialized police forces like the PCeU, Metropolitan Police Service Commissioner Sir Paul Robert Stephenson revealed that traditional organized UK crime gangs are starting to get involved in e-crimes.

A lot of people feel that uniformed policing should be protected during the upcoming Comprehensive Spending Review, which is expected to bring budget cuts for police forces.

However, in an article written for the Sunday Telegraph, Sir Stephenson warns that it would be a mistake to focus on traditional policing, especially in a time when cybercrime is causing huge loses to economies worldwide.

"If the debate about police cutbacks gets bogged down in arguments about ‘uniforms before specialists’ we will not serve the public well," the Met chief says.

"It is vital to have a balanced model of policing with visible uniformed officers and specialist units such as PCeU, as well as other key units like the Kidnap Unit, Child Abuse Investigation and homicide teams," he ads.

The Police Central e-crime Unit (PCeU) was created in October 2008 and so far it's efficiency is impressive. In 2009 it had a budget of £2.75 million and according to the commissioner, for every £1 spent it prevented £21 from being stolen.

The specialized police forces are already under-staffed, especially in areas like cybercrime. There are around 385 police officers working on online-related offenses in England and Wales and 85% of them deal with combating child exploitation and abuse.

Sir Stephenson says that this is particularly worrying especially since more traditional criminal gangs, are picking up on e-crimes and their quick return on investment.

"There are disturbing signs that ‘traditional’ British organised crime is waking up to the profits and uses of e-crime. [...]

"There is a risk that cyber crime will become their main source of cash flow. The modern Tony Soprano-style crime lord will have a cyber expert on hand," the commissioner warns.

"We must also ensure that, if British crime gangs take up e-crime as enthusiastically as we fear, we can match the skills at their disposal. We must have the expertise to stay ahead of the criminals," he concludes.