Courses for police officers

First cybercrime training center starts operations

The state-of-the-art training room in Gruberstraße

(Bild: Landespolizeidirektion Oberoeste)

More and more crimes in the digital space, also known as cybercrime, are being reported to the police. To ensure that officers throughout the country know what to do in such cases, Austria's first Cybercrime Training Center has been set up in Linz. It went into full operation for the first time on Monday.

While general crime is falling, cybercrime is on the rise. In the previous year alone, around 66,000 cases were reported nationwide, an increase of 9.4 percent compared to 2022. There is still some catching up to do in terms of the clearance rate: Compared to around 60 percent for all crimes, only 30 percent of cybercrime offenses are ever solved.

Upgrading against cybercrime
In order to improve this situation, Linz invested EUR 800,000 in its own cybercrime training center as part of the large-scale criminal service reform. Three rooms were set up in the provincial police headquarters in Gruberstraße specifically for the purpose of training. "Not only in Linz, but also in Bad Goisern, Rohrbach and Grein, officers should know how to act in the event of crimes in the digital space, what to look out for during house searches and how to secure traces on the Internet," emphasizes State Police Director Andreas Pilsl.

Interactive workshops
However, the lessons are not "frontal lectures" in the traditional sense: the basic training, consisting of seven modules, is completed in a four-day workshop. Two trainers supervise up to twelve inquisitive students, who are also allowed to get hands-on in all areas. A workstation is also set up on site where the officers can practise house searches.

Compared to around 60 percent of all crimes, only 30 percent of cybercrime offenses are ever solved.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

Great interest
However, participation is not mandatory: "Everyone knows how much you take away from a training course that doesn't interest you at all. Instead, we rely on word of mouth," explains CCTC manager Günter Fabian. The 650 or so volunteers (out of around 4500 police officers nationwide) get their turn first.

Lots to see
A small exhibition is also intended to help: In a display case, there is a selection of "smart" devices that use cameras and all kinds of sensors to collect data that could be of importance in an investigation. Smart hoods, a robot vacuum cleaner with remote control, camera and telephone functions and a fully networked refrigerator are just some of the devices on display.

One per province
For the time being, civil servants from all over Austria are being trained in Linz. Subsequently, each province will operate its own cybercrime training center.