CYBER CRIME UNIT
The Cyber Crime Unit is a specialized unit at the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service with its primary role as detection and investigations of crimes whereby digital device(s), network(s), other telecommunication device(s) or the internet space is/are the target(s), or the means used.
The Cybercrime Unit also investigates sensitive cases such as online child exploitation and abuse and all other cases related to women and children on the internet space. The Cyber Crime Unit is equipped with a state–of–the–art Digital Forensics Laboratory for digital forensics examination, and a Cyber Patrol Section for advanced online monitoring and surveillance of Ghana’s cyber space for crime detection.
The Cyber Crime Unit’s involvement is not limited to criminal acts commonly associated with technology itself – such as hacking – but extends to investigations of more traditional offences such as fraud, threats, and other serious crimes whereas a digital device was the means used.
Undoubtedly, child abuse taking place over the internet has never been overlooked by the Cybercrime Unit. Over the years, the Cyber Crime Unit has been working with support from UNICEF and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to investigate, arrest, and prosecute suspects of online child abuse and cyberbullying.
The Ghana Police Service, as part of its transformation agenda, has implemented a comprehensive reorganisation of the Cybercrime Unit (CU) at the CID Headquarters. The unit has also been decentralised to all the 25 Police Regional commands across the country to bring its services closer to the public.
This strategic reorganisation has positioned the CU as an expert unit to support criminal investigation by delivering services such as cyber forensic analysis, digital devices forensic analysis, mobile and network forensic analysis, and digital content forensic analysis instead of its initial focus on general criminal investigations such as building case dockets and direct handling of suspects.
As part of the first phase of the decentralisation process, the Service has undertaken specialised training of 151 personnel and deployed them to the 25 Police Regions across the country to complement criminal investigations within the regions.
The training encompassed a wide range of critical areas, including but not limited to Digital Wallet (mobile money) Fraud, Social Engineering, Insider Threats and Online Scam. Others were Bank Card Fraud, File System Forensics and Artifact Analysis as well as Network and Memory Forensics.
The decentralization of the CU aligns with the broader goals of modernising the Police Service and ensuring that it remains at the forefront of tackling emerging threats in the digital age.
SECTIONS IN THE CYBERCRIME UNIT
The Cyber Crimes Unit (CU) & Digital Forensics Laboratory of the Ghana Police Service is composed of detectives specialized in cybercrime investigations and digital forensics.
The unit has three sections which include.
- Cyber Investigations
- Cyber Intelligence (Cyber Patrol)
- Child Protection Digital Forensics Laboratory.
FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Functions and responsibilities may include all or a combination of:
- Cybercrime Investigations, and prosecution
- Collection of data and forensic analysis
- Cyber Intelligence collection, analysis, and dissemination
- Assessment and analysis of cybercrime phenomena
- Specialized support to other police units
- Cyber surveillance and monitoring
DIGITAL FORENSICS
As the use of computers and digital devices has become widespread, the Child Protection Digital Forensics Laboratory supports the investigative challenges of a digital world. Digital devices seized in the cause of cyber investigations contains volume of data that the digital forensic experts must examine during an investigation and the evidence extracted serves as admissible evidence in court. The digital forensic laboratory focuses on identifying, acquiring, processing, analyzing, and reporting on data stored electronically.
CYBER INTELLIEGENCE
The Cyber Intelligence (Cyber Patrol) section generates intelligence which involves collecting information on cybercrime activities and criminals from a wide array of public, private and open sources, and then processing and analyzing that information. This Cyber Patrol section monitors and conducts cyber surveillance and monitoring on Ghana’s cyber space for detection, and prevention of cybercrime activities.
CONTACT
The Cyber Crime Unit can be contacted by walking in at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters located in Accra via the following means for assistance on how to make complaint:
Email for complaints and intelligence: cybercrime.reports@police.gov.gh
Call the Ghana Police Helpline: 18555 or 191
Digital Address: GH-GA-017-5088
Official Facebook Page: https://web.facebook.com/cidcybercrimeunit
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