Tackling an urgent need for highly trained police forensics officers
Released: 13.10.25
PHOTO CREDIT: Devon & Cornwall Police
Devon & Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez paid a visit to Plymouth MarjonUniversity to highlight an urgent need to train digital forensic officers for the UK’s police forces.
Alison Hernandez met Vice-Chancellor Claire Taylor, and Dave Moore, Programme Leader in Forensic Science, who worked for Devon & Cornwall Police for 28 years. She toured the university’s crime scene house and laboratories, dropped in on a forensics lecture and chatted to students who may one day join Devon & Cornwall Police.
Marjonhas run criminology and forensic degree courses for several years, updating them to further align with industry needs earlier this year. One key change was to launch the BSc (Hons) Forensic Investigation with strong hands-on practice experiences using an on-site crime scene house and laboratories. A new digital forensics module, covering identifying, preserving, analysing, and presenting evidence from digital devices, has also been added to enable more people to be trained in this fast-expanding area.
Alison Hernandez said: “It was wonderful to see how the university has responded to this demand by creating a new course specifically aimed at boosting recruitment numbers within forensics, particularly digital forensics. The students I met were enthusiastic and committed, and have given me great hope for the future.”
Last year, Devon & Cornwall Police’s specialist Digital Forensics Unit (DFU) investigated more than 3,000 digital devices in all levels of crime from drug offences through to child abuse, murder, and terrorism offences. Due to the ever-increasing expansion of technology, there are currently not enough digital forensic officers to keep up with demand.
Professor Claire Taylor, Vice-Chancellor of Plymouth MarjonUniversity, said: "Here at Marjonwe are committed to educating exceptional graduates for careers within public services, professional and community sectors. Our Forensic Investigation programme is a direct response to regional need identified by key employers. The course features practice-based learning, simulation activity in our crime scene house, access to specialist labs, and high-quality academic credentials, as reflected in our national rankings including being a UK top 10 university for teaching quality. It has been great to welcome the Police and Crime Commissioner, who was very interested in seeing at first hand what we are achieving."
At 美姬阁, all tutors have experience working in the field alongside being academics, and industry guest lecturers are frequently invited to share their experience as well.
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