Cybercrime Training for Police Officers: A Survey of Colorado Local Law Enforcement Agencies

As cybercrime advances and becomes more sophisticated, training law enforcement to investigate cybercrime is crucial. This survey-based study examines Colorado police departments’ cybercrime preparedness and the challenges of investigating cybercrime. This paper reports the findings from 18 police departments in Colorado (n = 51). The most common cybercrime incidents officers handle are identity theft, child sexual exploitation and abuse materials, and online scams. Most officers received training on general awareness of cybercrime and cybersecurity. Vendors provided training for specific tools, and police agencies organized internal training. Officers expressed a desire for more training in forensic software, the dark web, and resources for fraud and identity theft victims. The results indicate that although police have received some basic cybercrime training, organizational capacity and emerging trends and technologies, such as AI and new social media platforms, pose challenges for law enforcement in staying current and effective in investigations. Recommendations, implications, and limitations are discussed.