Head of new cybercrime unit in Mich. State Police, which began it...
Head of new cybercrime unit in Mich. State Police, which began its first investigations Fri., said Internet- and computer- based crime was growing so fast his unit already faced 6-month backlog of cases. Unit commander Lt. Brian Albright said…
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he was “not afraid of ever losing business.” New unit’s members, which include FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration investigators, have been trained to probe any crimes involving computers or computer networks such as Internet, including fraud, cyberstalking, illegal gambling, child pornography, child predation, drug trafficking, money laundering. Members received training at Eastern Mich. U. School of Cybercrime Investigation, officials said. Some local police agencies, such as in Monroe, Oakland and Wayne counties, have their own cybercrime units, but state unit will provide forensic and investigative assistance to such local outfits. Albright said most pressing challenges would include maintaining funding to keep up with fast-changing technology and ensuring that legislature kept state’s laws up to date as criminals exploited newer technologies. New State Police investigative unit is complement to High Tech Crimes Unit established by Mich. Attorney. Gen. Jennifer Granholm in 1999 to prosecute computer-related crimes. She said computer crimes were top type of Mich. crime in 2000, compared with only 10th rank in 1999.