Twenty (20) police officers recently finished a two-week Financial Crime Investigation Course (FCIC) focused on improving their skills in investigating cybercrimes.
The Training division and the Australian Federal Police jointly organized the course, which focused on various aspects of financial crimes, particularly scams and fraudulent activities involving money.
Sergeant Adrian Holt, one of the course coordinators, expressed satisfaction with the officers’ participation, foreseeing significant future arrests and convictions resulting from the training.
Participants, including officers from the NCD Criminal Investigation Division (CID), Bomana Police College, National and Provincial Fraud units, and representatives from the Public Prosecutors’ office, reported acquiring valuable knowledge and skills in investigating scams and identifying online scammers.
A participant from the National Fraud Directorate, (named), highlighted the valuable knowledge gained during the training, particularly in investigating scams, identifying perpetrators, and utilizing relevant tools.
He noted that a substantial number of offenders engage in online communication during these illicit activities.
He said before this training, investigations into fraud complaints often lacked thoroughness due to resource limitations and uncertainty regarding evidence gathering.
However, the training has significantly contributed to enhancing both personal and team capabilities for future investigations.
A participant from the Public Prosecutor’s office shared that they gained insight into the procedures police follow to investigate and apprehend suspects, and how they handle case files.
He also learned about the cooperation between police investigators and the Public Prosecutor’s office in handling and presenting case files.
The training concluded at the Grand Papua Hotel in Port Moresby last Friday.