Local police falling behind on cybercrime, former chief says

Local police departments have the knowledge but lack the resources for cybersecurity-related police efforts, according to former Los Angeles Police Department Chief Bill Bratton.

Speaking today after his keynote address at the FOSE 2010 trade show in Washington, Bratton said local police departments have been behind the curve for most of their history in tackling computer-related crime and cybersecurity.

Bratton, who also served as commissioner of the New York City Police Department, also said that computer security is an unmet challenge for police departments that is unlikely to be addressed in significant way because of funding, prioritization, resources and access to systems.

He added that the situation is frustrating for police chiefs. “We know how to do it; we know how to coordinate it," he said. "It’s a resource issue."

Bratton is now chairman of Altegrity Risk International. He also previously served as chief of the New York City Transit Police and as Boston Police Department commissioner.

He made the comments in response to an audience question after his keynote speech at FOSE, which is presented by 1105 Media Inc., the parent company of Federal Computer Week, Government Computer News and Washington Technology.