Must we all dance to the police's tune?

SIR – I fully support the Metropolitan Police Service, and in particular its latest plea for private sector funding to help combat e-crime. In the absence of any adequate Government support, this privately-funded proposition could represent a viable stop-gap solution to give the Computer Crime Unit (CCU) the resources it needs to both prevent and prosecute more computer-related crimes.

The fact that at least half of the industry already believes the biggest barrier to fighting e-crime is the lack of Government investment in police resources suggests that, at least in part, private sector businesses could be willing to foot the bill. A £1 million per annum contribution would be a drop in the ocean for UK businesses collectively, yet would yield a worthwhile return on investment for the police and the industry at large.

Another way in which client organisations could contribute is by loaning their IT experts to the CCU so that they can act as ‘Special Constables’. This could engender a two-way benefit, as the IT specialist would gain greater skills and knowledge of incident handling, preserving evidence and the law, while the police service would have new-found access to a greater resource pool.

While the police do a great job with the existing skills and resources at their disposal, each year a backlog of cases passes by without being investigated. What’s more, a good many criminals are never subject to prosecution.

We cannot afford to wait around for the Government to take action. The industry has the power to help in the immediate future by sharing information and expertise, and offering financial support. Let’s do it.