Efficient police: New IT professionals in the fight against cybercrime in WRN

Efficient police: New IT professionals in the fight against cybercrime in WRN

The police in Wiener Neustadt have opened a new chapter in the fight against crime. With the opening of the “Criminal Assistance Unit” in the police headquarters on June 10, 2025, an innovative approach to combating cybercrime and improving IT forensics will be pursued. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) and Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) announce a significant step in increasing the efficiency of police work.

The new office uses the latest technology and fresh energy to secure traces and analyze IT devices around the clock. This support is important not only for the police, but also for citizens, who benefit from faster processing of cases. “We don’t save money on safety,” emphasizes Stocker, emphasizing the importance of this facility for the safety of the population – especially in a city with around 30,000 commuters.

Efficiency and support

The “criminal assistance service” has been in operation for a year and supports 22 police stations with a total of 370 officers. This increase in efficiency not only results in shorter waiting times for officers and victims, but also ensures that time-critical clues are not lost at the crime scene. The police union expressed concerns about high staffing needs, but Karner rejected this criticism and spoke of an ongoing staffing offensive with record numbers.

There are currently 34 of these offices in Austria, and the initiative for a further 38 is already underway. The teams in Wiener Neustadt are expected to grow to ten skilled workers in the coming months. Mayor Klaus Schneeberger sees the city as a focal point for this innovative approach to significantly improve security in the region.

New challenges in the cyber world

The proportion of cybercrime is constantly growing. The majority of today's crimes take place online and include fraud, theft and extortion. Cybercriminals use both social and technical attacks. Methods such as phishing emails and exploiting security vulnerabilities are widespread, which is why the expertise of IT forensic experts is necessary to analyze attacks and identify perpetrators.

The IT forensics team investigates cyberattacks to close security gaps and increase system security. Depending on the complexity, forensic work can take anywhere from hours to several months. The training at St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences gives students the tools to deal with hacking methods and system security, which provides the blueprints for future security experts.

In summary, it can be said that the police in Wiener Neustadt are not only improving the efficiency of their work with the new criminal assistance department, but are also resolutely meeting the challenges of digital crime. The commitment of politicians and the police in the region shows that the safety of the population comes first.

For more information on the developments and details of IT forensics, you can read the reports from oe24, noen and online security visit.