Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Cyber kiosks will help crack down on crime
IAN BUNTING
Police Scotland has began a phased roll-out of cyber kiosk technology that will help crack down on crime in Monklands.
Cyber kiosks are desktop computers, which will be located in Airdrie and Coatbridge police stations.
The technology allows specially trained officers to triage mobile devices to determine if they contain information which may be of value to a police investigation or incident.
This will allow lines of enquiry to be progressed at a much earlier stage and devices that are not relevant to an investigation to be returned quicker.
Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham said: “We are committed to providing the best possible service to victims and witnesses of crime.
“This means we must keep pace with society. People of all ages now lead a significant part of their lives online and this is reflected in how we investigate crime and the evidence we present to courts.
“Ma n y online offences disproportionately affect the most vulnerable people in our society, such as children at risk of sexual abuse, and our priority is to protect those people.
“Increases in the involvement of digital devices in investigations and the ever- expanding capabilities of these devices mean that demand on digital forensic examinations is higher than ever.
“Current limitations, however, mean the devices of victims, witnesses and suspects can be taken for months at a time, even if it later transpires that there is no worthwhile evidence on them.
“By quickly identifying devices which do and do not contain evidence, we can minimise the intrusion on people’s lives and provide a better service to the public.”
Police Scotland recognises that the use of personal data as a key resource for law enforcement “comes with the tension between intrusiveness and the need to maintain public consent”.
These concerns have been the subject of extensive consultation and scrutiny by internal and external reference groups which have supported the development of publically available information explaining policies and processes, along with impact assessments to mitigate any concerns raised.
The Crown Office, Procurator Fiscal Service and independent senior counsel have affirmed the existence of a legal basis for the use of cyber kiosks.
Police will only examine a digital device where there is “a legal basis and where it is necessary, justified and proportionate to the incident or crime under investigation”.
Cyber kiosks will not be enabled to store data from digital devices. Once an examination is complete, all device data is securely deleted from the cyber kiosk.
To find out more details, search for “cyber kiosks” at the Police Scotland website, www.scotland.police.uk/