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Digital forensics - backlogs and timeframes

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edel2020

Member since
March 2022

525 posts

I've now completed my FOI requests, regarding the time it takes for police to do digital forensic examinations.

I asked two questions. One was the number of devices waiting to be examined and the other was how long, on average, do examinations take.

Most police forces could answer the first question, but only around half of them could give a timeframe. I have published the details below. The first figure is the number of devices in the backlog. The second is the average number of days taken to process a device.

This is only a snapshot, but it should give some indication of which areas can expect to experience the longest delays. On it's own though, it does not explain why many investigations take 2 years or more to come to court. There are clearly other factors that delay the investigation as well and I cannot say what those are.

Avon - 857 devices, 161 days

Bedfordshire - 329, 60 days

Cambs - 492, 110 days

Cheshire - 533, n/a

Cleveland - 785, 116

Cumbria - 624, n/a

Derbyshire - 317, 30 days (if high priority)

Dorset, Devon & Cornwall - 256, 86 days

Durham - 118, n/a

Dyfed Powys - 112, n/a

Essex - 617, n/a

Gloucestershire - 224, 14.5

Gwent - 186, n/a

Hampshire - 500, n/a

Hertfordshire - 230, 28

Humberside - 629, n/a

Kent - 1110, 229

Lancashire - 598, 65

Leicstershire - 339, 160

Lincolnshire - n/a, n/a

Gtr Manchester - 1306, n/a

Merseyside - 1225, n/a

Met (London) - 810, 267

Norfolk - 411, 68

North Wales - 753, 104

Northants - n/a, n/a

Northumbria - 825, n/a

North Yorks - 238, 90

Nottinghamshire - 316, n/a

PSNI - 1058, n/a

Scotland - 4394, n/a

South Wales - 589, n/a

South Yorks - 319, 210

Staffordshire - 412, 113

Suffolk - 411, 68

Surrey - 355, 49

Sussex - 465, 103

Thames Valley - 1359, n/a

Warwickshire - 527,n/a

West Mercia - 435, n/a

West Midlands - 337, n/a

West Yorkshire - 1339, 90

Wiltshire - 197, 69

Posted Sat June 8, 2024 10:47amReport post

K4

Member since
October 2022

623 posts

Thank you for this, it's really interesting to compare them all. And to see where our people fit in the local picture.



it must have taken you days to compile all this



x

Posted Sat June 8, 2024 11:26amReport post

Ocean

Member since
September 2023

938 posts

That's a great piece of work Edel with very interesting results.

Posted Sat June 8, 2024 11:56amReport post

Elliott

Member since
December 2023

44 posts

Thank you for this - a long wait in store for us then x

Posted Sat June 8, 2024 12:42pm
Edited Sat June 8, 2024 12:42pmReport post

Bub84

Member since
January 2024

130 posts

Results were spot on for our area x

Posted Sat June 8, 2024 1:34pmReport post

sn101010

Member since
January 2024

25 posts

Great work.. Does this also include devices outsourced? x

Posted Sat June 8, 2024 2:21pmReport post

Another worried mum

Member since
December 2022

136 posts

Interesting stats. The Figures for the Met seem really low considering the population they must cover.

Posted Sun June 9, 2024 12:02pmReport post

Inturmoil1974

Member since
November 2022

378 posts

We are Scotland our devices were all checked in the house on the day of the knock, took away oh phone returned next day to arrest him for what was found, quickest turnaround ever

Posted Sun June 9, 2024 1:57pmReport post

Smile through tears

Member since
September 2021

2721 posts

Just think all the people that are going through devastation linked to these statistics, it's truly truly heartbreaking......

Posted Sun June 9, 2024 4:28pmReport post

Webb89

Member since
July 2022

520 posts

Thank you an interesting read on all the different areas.



OH arrested on the Tuesday, phone checked at police station, charged on wednesday, in court Thursday. Other devices were taken but returned a month later. Nothing on them.

Posted Sun June 9, 2024 6:25pmReport post

edel2020

Member since
March 2022

525 posts

Just on the outsourcing issue. I did ask them to include devices outsourced to external forensic checkers. But most forces did not use outsourcing. Only about 5 or 6 of the total, from what I recall.

Posted Mon June 10, 2024 11:00amReport post

Quick exit