Merseyside developing ‘uniquely skilled’ graduates to combat digital crime

Combatting the use of deepfakes, voice manipulation, face-editing and other reality-blurring scams in the UK is massive new challenge to police, lawyers and judges.

But now bespoke training through LJMU’s unique Masters in Audio and Video Forensics with Merseyside Police has seen  ten professionals graduate – all achieving distinctions – who are now England’s only law enforcement officers with the highest level of certification in digital forensics (Level 3 – National Police Chiefs’ Council).

Andrew Ford, a detective inspector at Merseyside Police, said: “This level of skill and knowledge puts us at the cutting-edge nationally and importantly gives us the confidence to make informed decisions in the fight against crime.”

The MSc – the first of its kind in the Europe – is the result of close collaboration between LJMU, the Digital Media Team at Merseyside Police and experts from the Police Forensic Service, all of whom face a welter of challenges with evidence now sourced from CCTV, bodycams, mobile phones, smart doorbells and more.

Colin Robinson, senior lecturer and course leader at LJMU School of Engineering, said: “It is a question of skills, and for that reason, we are offering new training for professionals on how to spot and handle manipulated sound and images.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Helen Bennett said: “Merseyside Police are incredibly proud to have partnered with LJMU in the design and delivery of this ground-breaking MSc course.

“Nowhere else in the world can visual evidence law enforcement staff receive this kind of bespoke training.

“By investing in this programme, we are ensuring our staff are highly skilled in handling CCTV and other forms of digital evidence. This enables us to present the strongest possible evidence in pursuit of justice for victims, both here in Merseyside and beyond.

“What has been especially rewarding is witnessing the growth in both skill and confidence among our staff. Thanks to this course, they are now recognised subject matter experts in their field.”

Frances Peacock, a video evidence officer at Merseyside Police, who has just landed a new job with the Office of the Police Ombudsman in Ireland (Foisrú), said: “This degree validates what we are doing and gives me belief that I am applying the right technical knowhow to each case.”