The Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau (CSTCB) has initiated Project InField with a view to providing speedy mobile forensics examination service, thereby enhancing the criminal investigation efficiency of the Force. Under the project, suitable digital forensics examination requests would be identified by the CSTCB and processed by trained members of the Technology Crime Initial Response Cadre (TCIRC).

Between May and October 2019, the CSTCB launched a six-month pilot scheme of the project in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon West Regions to evaluate the effectiveness of the project. Upon the completion of the pilot scheme, a review was conducted in the first quarter of 2020 with positive feedback received from all participants. Under this project, the average examination completion time is 1.5 months, greatly enhancing the efficiency and productivity of digital forensics examinations.

Following the successful implementation of the pilot scheme, the project has been extended to all land Regions from June 2020. Between May 18 and 20, 2020, a training session was arranged for 15 TCIRC members from Kowloon East, New Territories South and New Territories North Regions. As at June 2020, a total of 41 TCIRC members have been certified with qualification and deployed for the project.

A digital forensics examiner (left) coaches a TCIRC member to conduct forensics examination.