Award-winning DFIU are breaking new ground

GMP's DFIU were selected to take part in a Home Office initiative to improve digital forensic processes in relation to evidence in child sexual exploitation (CSE) and child sexual abuse image cases - through the use of automation and artificial intelligence (AI).

And as the only force successful in the work completed as part of the national pilot, GMP have approved further funding via POAP for the technology and IT infrastructure, allowing it to be rolled out for everyday use.

The Home Office initiative, The National CSE Automation Project, selected three forces to run a different element of automation, with GMP being selected to perform API Automation, involving automation software being run on computers through the use of code.

The aim of the project was to streamline operations, harness automation technologies and test innovative techniques, subsequently improving productivity and expediting access to evidence to achieve justice quicker, higher conviction rates and increased public trust.

The DFIU team's pilot successfully processed data 50% faster and without the need for human intervention. This means when receiving mobile phones or computers relating to child sexual abuse or CSE investigations, the automated process retrieves deleted data, analyses / assesses pictures and videos and collates it all together, prior to being sent to investigators.

Working closely with Magnet Forensics, who helped to develop the software, the team, who recently received a POP Award for team innovation and won a Chief Commendation award from Chief Constable Stephen Watson, credits Magnet Forensics with being pivotal in the being the only successful pilot within the initiative. - which took place in 2021/2022.

GMP's involvement in the pilot came about due to a backlog of cases. In 2019, the DFIU team recognised a significant increase in demand and pressures in relation to CSE and child abuse image cases. There was increased time from case submission to achieving the end result, primarily due to increasing data sizes. This also had an impact on the mental health and wellbeing of staff in the unit.