VIJAYAWADA: In a significant move to boost cybercrime prevention and enhance digital investigation capabilities, NTR District Police Commissioner (CP) SV Rajashekhar Babu has launched a specialised training programme to equip police personnel with new knowledge of cybercrimes and digital arrests.
Under the initiative, at least two officers from every police station in the Commissionerate will undergo training in cybercrime handling techniques, capacity building, and digital awareness campaigns to serve the public better.
“We are handpicking young officers with engineering background and technology enthusiasts and giving them training in cybersecurity and cybercrime-related aspects that we are facing in day-to-day life. These officers will be called ‘Cyber Commandos,’ and the team is going to be big in the coming days, serving as a one-stop solution to cybercrimes,” the CP said.
As part of this initiative, a comprehensive workshop was organised, where nearly 90 officers of various ranks took part. Detailed discussions were held on the prevention of cybercrimes, the concept of digital arrests, handling social media-related cases, and ways to ensure speedy investigation and resolution.
The Commissioner highlighted the importance of educating the public on cyber safety practices to prevent them from falling prey to cyberfraud. “Leveraging technology effectively in policing could not only improve service delivery but also reduce the workload on officers. All the trained personnel will apply their learnings to resolve cyber-related cases efficiently within their jurisdictions,” he emphasised.
The training for these Cyber Commandos primarily focused on the Cyber Citizen mobile application, operations of the 1930 call centre, coordination with the NCRP Portal and I4C, and social media awareness.
“Around three lakh citizens have been connected through the Cyber Citizen app to aid in crime surveillance and reporting. This app serves as a complete guide on how to avoid becoming cyber victims in all forms of cybercrimes, especially digital arrests,” Rajashekhar Babu added.
He cautioned citizens against fake ‘digital arrest’ scams, stressing that police never conduct arrests via WhatsApp or video calls, and urged the public not to fall for such claims.
Meanwhile, the State government has appointed a Superintendent of Police (SP)-rank officer for the Cybercrimes Department, giving top priority to creating a dedicated team to combat the growing trend of cyber offences. SP-rank officer Krishna Prasanna has been appointed as DCP.