Between 2017 and 2021, the number of IT forensic investigations increased by 38 percent, while the number of IT forensics increased by 17 percent.
Nine out of ten IT forensics think that the workload is a major obstacle to the efficiency of the business, according to an evaluation from the Crime Prevention Council (Brå).
The investigation leaders in the country also think so.
Skips forensics
The processing times are so long that in some cases the investigation managers completely skip contacting the forensics.
They would rather let other people within the Police Authority secure traces in, for example, mobile phones, even if that could lead to a worse investigation.
Investments have not been enough
The police have known for a long time that the forensic department was undersized.
When the police have received large increases in resources in recent years, much of it has therefore been put right there.
But it hasn't been enough.
"It is clear that more personnel are needed for the forensic operations, but that does not solve the whole problem.
It needs to become clearer which cases should be prioritized in order to be able to use the business as efficiently as possible.
The police also need to increase the forensic knowledge within the entire agency, so that investigation managers can make better orders and other functions can relieve the specialists with simpler investigations," says Linnea Littman, investigator at Brå in a press release.