Cyber Dependent Crime Unit

The Cyber Dependent Crime Unit (CDCU) deliver an effective and coordinated police response to cybercrime that protects the public, businesses, and organisations, and ensures the UK is secure and resilient to cyber threats.

The CDCU operates under the 4 P’s structure – Prepare, Protect, Prevent and Pursue.

Prepare

The Cyber Dependent Crime Unit works alongside other teams such as the Digital Media Intelligence Unit, Digital Forensics Unit, and the Communications Data Intelligence Unit as part of a “One Team” approach to mitigate Cyber Crime. 

Protect

The Cyber Dependent Crime Unit aims to deliver an effective and coordinated police response to Cyber Crime by reducing the overall impact of Cyber Crime in Merseyside by supporting and protecting victims, members of the public, local businesses, and organisations through :-​​​​​​

• Promotion of prevention material.
• Co-ordinating and the hosting of Cyber Security Awareness meetings.
• Educating the Threat, Harm and Risks associated with Cyber Crime.
• Acting as a Single Point of Contact for Cyber Crime Protect prevention advice.

Prevent

The Cyber Dependent Crime Unit deter individuals or groups from becoming involved in Cyber Crime or continuing their involvement in Cyber Crime.  To educate individuals as to the harm caused by Cyber Crime and to make timely interventions to deter them from engaging in Cyber Crime thereby protecting communities.

• Management / monitoring of subjects to prevent re-offending
• Work with education establishments and authorities to discourage cyber criminality and divert individuals with an interest in cyber towards positive employment in the cyber security industry.
• Design and develop events for the public, raising awareness around Computer Misuse Act offences.

Pursue

​​​​​​​The Cyber Dependent Crime Unit Undertake reactive and proactive investigations and operations against individual/s who are actively engaged in cyber criminality either emanating from or impacting upon the North West, by utilising all lawful means with the support of other partners to share intelligence, target, disrupt and prosecute cybercrime offenders.