Expertise integration in cybercrime policing : exploring civilian career lifecycles

Abstract

This study examines the internal dynamics and composition of federal police cybercrime units with a focus on civilianization. The study is based on interviews with 56 sworn and civilian (unsworn) members of two federal law enforcement organizations located in two of the Five Eyes countries. Both police organizations had a significant number of civilian employees in their cybercrime units and were in the process of actively recruiting more. The findings relate to civilianization across four domains: organizational design and structure; recruitment and remuneration; education and training; and attrition and retention. These four (interrelated) domains were identified as core organizational challenges that impacted the capacity of police cybercrime units to optimally harness civilian expertise to enhance cybercrime capability. Our study finds widespread support for civilianization within federal police cybercrime units as an approach to improving capability but highlights several challenges for police organizations across the civilian career lifecycle. The main challenges relate to recruitment and retention. A much broader tension relates to how police organizations remunerate sworn and civilian employees and provide opportunities for career advancement. There is an increasing need for new policy solutions to this issue as police organizations continue to adapt to evolving cybercrime challenges.