EPS bulks up cybercrimes unit

The Edmonton Police Service will be dedicating more officers to fight cybercrimes in the city.

Edmonton had one of the first tech crime units in Canada. Now, police are adding four investigators to that team to tackle complex online crimes.

Speaking to members at the Edmonton Police Commission on Thursday night, Insp. Chad Tawfik said tech crimes are changing at a fast pace and police need to keep up.

The variance in the amount of devices people are using whether personal computers up to and including smart phones, just the variety and the diversity of products being used and the types of offences is causing us to have to respond.

The newly expanded unit will be looking at everything from cyberbullying to online scams.

It will also help police with other criminal investigations that require extracting data from smart phones or computers.

Cybercrime is a growing issue in Edmonton.In 2012, there were 51 reported incidents, but that number almost tripledin 2013 to 144 cases.A similar increase is expected this year.

EPS says every major centre should have a detail like this, as cybercrime becomes more common.

It could happen really anywhere, said Tawfik. Ultimately, we want to be in the best position possible to ... prevent and educate people so they know how to prevent themselves from being targets, and to investigate it when it does happen and bring people to justice.

The new unit is expected to officially begin its work in the new year.