Cyber Crime and Cyber Terrorism

INVESTIGATORS CONTACT MANAGEMENT
Within policing, and especially in cases of issues related to the investigation of cyber 
crime, one of the key points from which all perceptions of the police derives is that 
of the contact between the public and the police (
Caless et al., 2012
). This first con-
tact with the public, whether victims or witnesses of cyber crimes, is critical for the 
effective delivery of cyber policing at every level. Whether this contact is by calling 
the police via telephone or meeting a police officer in person, for the member of the 
public initiating the interaction and coming forward, it is a time of crucial impor-
tance. The member of the public contacting the police, implicitly or explicitly to 
report cyber crime, asks themselves three questions as follows:
• Will my concern be taken seriously?
• Will I receive the service I expect?
• Will I get satisfaction from what has occurred?
If this initial contact is well handled, then the subsequent actions are based on an 
established foundation. To tackle all manner of cyber criminality, law enforcement 
agencies require the full support of the public, so when members of the public have 
the courage and conviction to come forward to report and discuss cyber crime issues, 

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Investigating crime and terror
police officers must have due regard to positive contact management. Cyber crime 
contact management must be a priority not just for those law enforcement officers 
who are public-facing, but for all of police officers, including cyber crime investiga-
tors. By simply ensuring that reports from the public are appropriately prioritized, 
taken seriously, and the member of the public is kept informed and is satisfied with 
the police response, will best serve the efficiency of the initial investigation.
All police officers must understand that first impressions really do count. The 
courteous, professional and positive contact with members of the public is important 
for all policing activities, including the investigation of cyber crime. Above all else, 
matters reported to the police regarding cyber crime must be taken seriously. There 
is no room for complacency in tackling cyber crime. When dealing with reports con-
cerning cyber crime, all officers must: