Gardaí to spend €1m on basic training for 1,000 officers to counter cybercrime

Gardaí plan to also provide Level 2 training for digital evidence first responders, and Level 3 training for digital forensics examiners

An Garda Síochána said cybercrime continues to be one of the greatest threats facing the country with 'enormous implications for our national security, economic prosperity and public safety'.

Gardaí are to spend around €1m on training up to 1,000 frontline staff on cybercrime over the next two years.

A request for tenders issued by An Garda Síochána is seeking to ensure there is a broad knowledge among gardaí in stations around the country about cybercrime including fraud offences and the possession and sharing of child abuse imagery.

The tender for cybercrime training comes as preliminary crime figures for 2025 last month show fraud was one of the few categories to record a sharp increase last year.

The latest figures show fraud offences, including cybercrime and other white-collar offences, more than doubled to 137% in 2025.

The number of crimes involving deception more than trebled last year while forgeries, and money laundering were up 160% and 164% respectively.

Offences relating to online shopping and auctions were also up 183%.

Gardaí also reported a large increase in the number of referrals by financial institutions of potential or suspicious fraudulent activity.

However, they recorded a reduction in some types of fraud offences including counterfeit money, phishing and insurance fraud.

The latest figures also show the number of harmful communications offences were up 27% annually with nearly 750 incidents reported last year.

Reports of grossly offensive communications being distributed were up 68% and incidents of publishing or distribution of intimate images were up 8%, although cases of child sexual abuse material and related offences were down 26%.

Cybercrime training

Outlining the proposed training in cybercrime for frontline staff, An Garda Síochána said cybercrime continues to be one of the greatest threats facing the country with “enormous implications for our national security, economic prosperity and public safety”. 

Garda management said it remains a priority for the force to ensure that frontline gardaí have the necessary skills to provide an appropriate response to cyber-related crimes “in an often-complex technical environment”. 

“On this basis, cybercrime training is a critical component of An Garda Síochána’s response to cyber-related crime in this growing and ever-changing digital landscape,” it added.

An Garda Síochána said it envisaged issuing two further tenders for training in cybercrime later this year which will be for Level 2 training for digital evidence first responders, and Level 3 training for digital forensics examiners.

The basic training in cybercrime will primarily focus on educating frontline staff on cyber-related offences and incident response.

“The training is expected to provide personnel with a good understanding of the current types of offences that can be committed online, where they could be in receipt of having been reported to a Garda station” according to An Garda Síochána.

It is envisaged that the training programme will be developed by the successful bidder in consultation with the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau.

The training is expected to be delivered by way of interactive e-learning modules over a minimum 12-week period, including a weekly continuous assessment and a final exam.