Devon leads national drive to boost digital forensics workforce

Devon is taking the lead in tackling a nationwide shortage of digital forensic officers - a growing challenge as technology becomes increasingly central to modern policing.

Last year alone, Devon & Cornwall Police’s specialist Digital Forensics Unit (DFU) examined more than 3,000 digital devices containing over two petabytes of data - the equivalent of two million movies or a 41,455-mile-high stack of A4 paper, enough to wrap around the world 1.66 times. The devices were linked to investigations ranging from drug offences and child abuse to murder and terrorism.

Digital forensic officers play a crucial role in retrieving, analysing and presenting digital evidence from phones, computers and other electronic devices. Their findings can make or break criminal cases. But as technology evolves at a rapid pace, demand for these highly skilled officers far outstrips supply.

To help bridge this gap, Plymouth Marjon University has introduced a new Forensic Investigation degree designed to prepare students for careers in policing and digital forensics. The programme, which builds on Marjon’s existing criminology and forensic courses, offers hands-on training in the university’s fully equipped crime scene house and laboratories. A new digital forensics module has also been added to meet the sector’s urgent needs.

Course leader Dave Moore, a former Devon & Cornwall Police officer with 28 years of service, said the course benefits from tutors who are both experienced practitioners and academics. Guest lecturers from law enforcement and forensic science also share real-world insights with students.

The launch of the course comes as some universities scale back their forensic offerings, notably Cranfield University in Bedfordshire, which is set to close its master’s degree in forensic investigation next year.

Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez visited Plymouth Marjon University to meet students who may one day join Devon & Cornwall Police’s digital forensics team.

“Digital evidence plays a significant role in the majority of police investigations and is vital in helping arrest and convict offenders and give victims justice. The volume of that work is growing all the time,” said Ms Hernandez.
“It was wonderful to see how the university has responded to this demand by creating a new course specifically aimed at boosting recruitment numbers within forensics, particularly digital forensics. The students I met were enthusiastic and committed, and have given me great hope for the future.”

The importance of such training was echoed by Steve Slater, Head of Digital Forensics for the South West Police Collaboration.

“Digital evidence has experienced the highest growth in demand policing has faced over the last decade. Every crime will have a digital evidence element whether this is from a mobile phone, dash cam, wearable camera, or home ‘internet of things’ devices,” he said.

Slater explained that digital evidence not only helps uncover illegal content but also provides vital data such as user locations, movements, timelines and even health information from wearable devices.

“As society continues to evolve with automation, AI and technology, Devon & Cornwall Police is committed to maintaining pace with society’s use of this technology, supported through the Police Reform Act and Policing Vision 2030. We’re already three years into a five-year investment plan to increase our capabilities and resources in digital forensics and are leading the way nationally in many areas,” he added.

Devon & Cornwall Police were also pioneers in forming South West Forensics, a collaborative forensic service shared with Avon & Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire Police forces.

“Today, other forces are following this model and now more than 50 per cent of digital forensics nationally sit within traditional forensics structures,” Slater continued. “We won’t stop there though. Our DFU actively engages with partners from private industry and academia to ensure our workforce, processes and technology continue to evolve with the pace of change. I’m pleased to be working with Marjon University who clearly understand our demands and challenges.”

Professor Claire Taylor, Vice-Chancellor of Plymouth Marjon University, said the programme reflects the university’s mission to support regional and national needs.

“Here at Marjon we are committed to educating exceptional graduates for careers within public services, professional and community sectors. Our Forensic Investigation programme is a direct response to regional need identified by key employers,” she said.

“The course features practice-based learning, simulation activity based in our crime scene house, access to specialist labs and high-quality academic credentials, as reflected in our national rankings including being a UK top 10 university for teaching quality. It has been great to welcome the Police and Crime Commissioner who was very interested in seeing at first-hand what we are achieving.”

Key Facts

• The number of mobile phones examined by Devon & Cornwall Police has risen 200% in two years, from 500 in 2018 to more than 2,000.

• The volume of data processed has doubled over the past three years.

• Last year, the force investigated over 3,000 digital devices containing more than 2 petabytes of data.

• The number of computers investigated annually has dropped from nearly 2,000 in 2018 to around 500 today.

For more details about the degree, visit BSc Forensic Investigation | Plymouth Marjon University.