Prime Minister: We are establishing a dedicated service to counteract cyber threats – the Central Cybercrime Bureau
27.07.2021
Online transfers, shopping and e-prescriptions have become commonplace, and our lives are becoming increasingly digitised. Unfortunately, this also results in more and more online threats. These days, new methods of online fraud appear virtually overnight. “To counteract fraud, theft and various types of attacks and cyber threats, we are establishing a service dedicated to such issues”, announced PM Mateusz Morawiecki. The new police unit – the Central Cybercrime Bureau – will be responsible for identifying, preventing and combating cyber threats.
“In 2000, the Central Investigation Bureau of Police was established to fight organised crime. It has played a vital role in this fight. The year 2006 saw the establishment of the Central Anticorruption Bureau, which has helped to combat another bane of the Third Polish Republic – corruption. In 2017, we established the National Revenue Administration at the Ministry of Finance to fight VAT fraud – it has also measured up to the task. Now comes the time to set up a service that will address the increasingly prevalent cyber-attacks”, said Prime Minister Morawiecki.
Cybercrime – a hidden online threat
The world around us is constantly evolving. We handle more and more of our daily affairs through online means. This is inevitably followed by an increase in cybercrime. Online fraud is a pressing issue. Remaining vigilant while using the Internet is crucial. However, it is not always possible to avoid online threats. As cybercrime develops, it is also vital for government services to follow suit and be better prepared to counteract it.
“The Internet promised a better world from its very inception – a world in which everyday life is easier and people are closer to each other. I believe that it can still provide such a space. But there is one condition – we must drive out the criminals”, the Prime Minister emphasized.
The government's response to rising online threats is the establishment of the Central Cybercrime Bureau. The new solution assumes the creation of a dedicated unit specialising in combating cybercrime. “We want the act to enter into force on 1 January 2022. We are progressing rapidly in organising this service”, announced Minister of the Interior and Administration Mariusz Kamiński.
Secretary of State, Government Plenipotentiary for Cybersecurity Janusz Cieszyński also announced that a Cybersecurity Fund would be set up. The Fund will finance projects and new initiatives focused on cybersecurity.
Central Cybercrime Bureau to take care of Poles’ online safety
A total of 1,800 new jobs for qualified specialists will be created as part of the new police unit. Additionally, the Minister of the Interior and Administration emphasized that officers applying for admission to the CCB will have a separate recruitment path. Skills considered during candidate recruitment will primarily include modern ICT expertise, as well as foreign language skills in this domain.
On the other hand, certain elements of the standard police qualification procedure may be omitted, including physical fitness testing.
The unit will be based in Warsaw. It will be managed by the Commander of the Central Cybercrime Bureau, who will report to the Police Commander in Chief. Officers of the newly established CCB will be authorised to carry out operational, administrative, investigative and reconnaissance activities under the act on police.
Minister Kamiński added that apart from a separate recruitment path, CCB officers will also have a separate pay scale. “It must be an attractive service, one that attracts market specialists who wish to have a stable and extremely important and interesting job – the CCB will be all that”, he explained. Thanks to a fixed monthly allowance of no less than 70% and no more than 130% of the standard pay, officers of the newly created unit will receive salaries exceeding the average remuneration of a police officer.
