Police to set up new Cybercrime Command in CID: Iswaran

SINGAPORE — The police will establish a new Cybercrime Command within the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) as part of its efforts to build up cybercrime combatting capabilities, said Minister in Prime Minister’s Office S Iswaran at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Committee of Supply debate today (March 6).

The Cybercrime Command will specialise in cyber-investigations, digital forensics and cybercrime policy, he said, adding that investigation officers and digital forensic officers specialising in cybercrime will also be deployed at each of the six Land Divisions by the end of the year.

“This will ensure that our frontline units are equipped with the necessary skills to investigate cybercrime cases,” he said.

Mr Iswaran added that beyond this, the police will continue to work closely with international and regional law enforcement agencies and industry stakeholders to combat cybercrime. The police will also work with the Interpol’s new Digital Crime Centre which is located in Singapore, to develop digital forensics and new solutions to curb cybercrime.

He said that other efforts by the police include launching a website, www.scamalert.sg, to raise public awareness on the common scams in Singapore. The police have also conducted crime prevention road shows in the heartlands and put up cybercrime advisory posters in neighbourhoods.

Mr Iswaran said that cybercrime — especially cases of cheating through e-commerce — saw a “sizeable increase” in number last year. He added that cyber criminals have been known to adapt their modus operandi to “exploit the opportunities arising from the ubiquity and anonymity of the Internet”, which have led to people from all walks of life — including the well-educated and Internet-savvy — falling prey to their scams.